A fresh start after a setback

عن أنس بن مالك رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : «للَّهُ أَفْرَحُ بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ مِنْ أَحَدِكُمْ، سَقَطَ عَلَى بَعِيرِهِ، وَقَدْ أَضَلَّهُ فِي أَرْضِ فَلاَةٍ». وفي رواية: «لَلَّهُ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ حِينَ يَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ، مِنْ أَحَدِكُمْ كَانَ عَلَى رَاحِلَتِهِ بِأَرْضِ فَلَاةٍ، فَانْفَلَتَتْ مِنْهُ وَعَلَيْهَا طَعَامُهُ وَشَرَابُهُ، فَأَيِسَ مِنْهَا، فَأَتَى شَجَرَةً، فَاضْطَجَعَ فِي ظِلِّهَا، وقَدْ أَيِسَ مِنْ رَاحِلَتِهِ، فَبَيْنَا هُوَ كَذَلِكَ إِذَا هُوَ بِهَا، قَائِمَةً عِنْدَهُ، فَأَخَذَ بِخِطَامِهَا، ثُمَّ قَالَ مِنْ شِدَّةِ الْفَرَحِ: اللهُمَّ أَنْتَ عَبْدِي وَأَنَا رَبُّكَ! أَخْطَأَ مِنْ شِدَّةِ الْفَرَح».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that Allah is extremely pleased with His slave's return to Him by obeying Him and fulfilling His commands, sincerely from his heart. His pleasure is more than the pleasure of a person who was in a desert with no one around him – no water, food, or people – and he lost his camel. He looked for it but failed to find it. So he went to lie under a tree awaiting death. He lost hope in finding his camel and lost hope in life, for his food and drink were on the back of his lost camel. Then suddenly, in this state of hopelessness, he finds his camel right in front of him, its reins attached to the same tree he slept beneath. What is comparable to such happiness? No one can truly relate to such joy except one who was in the same situation. Indeed, it is great joy; joy of life after death. For this reason he took hold of its reins and cried, "O Allah, You are my slave and I am Your Lord!" He wanted to praise Allah saying: "O Allah, You are my Lord and I am Your slave!" but due to his extreme joy, he confused his words.

-نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، نشر: مؤسسة الرسالة، الطبعة: الرابعة عشر، 1407هـ - 1987م. -دليل الفالحين لطرق رياض الصالحين، لابن علان، نشر دار الكتاب العربي. -شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين، نشر: دار الوطن للنشر، الرياض، الطبعة: 1426هـ. -كنوز رياض الصالحين، نشر: دار كنوز إشبيليا، الطبعة: الأولى، 1430ه 2009م. -تطريز رياض الصالحين، لفيصل الحريملي، نشر: دار العاصمة، الرياض، الطبعة: الأولى، 1423هـ. - 2002م. -بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، للهلالي، نشر: دار ابن الجوزي. -المعجم الوسيط، نشر: دار إحياء التراث العربي، بيروت – لبنان، الطبعة: الثانية. -صحيح البخاري، نشر: دار طوق النجاة (مصورة عن السلطانية بإضافة ترقيم ترقيم محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي)، الطبعة: الأولى، 1422هـ. -صحيح مسلم، تحقيق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، نشر: دار إحياء التراث العربي – بيروت.

عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى رضي الله عنه عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «إِنَّ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَبْسُطُ يَدَهُ بِاللَّيْلِ لِيَتُوبَ مُسِيءُ النَّهَارِ، وَيَبْسُطُ يَدَهُ بِالنَّهَارِ لِيَتُوبَ مُسِيءُ اللَّيْلِ، حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that: Allah Almighty accepts repentance from His slaves. When the slave commits a sin during the day and repents at night, Allah accepts his repentance; and when he commits a sin during the night and repents at day, Allah accepts his repentance as well. Allah Almighty extends His Hand to repentance by way of joy and acceptance. The door of repentance will remain open until the sun rises from the west, indicating the end of the world. When this happens, the door of repentance will be shut.

• The acceptance of repentance will continue as long as its door is open, and its door will be shut when the sun rises from the west, and as long as one repents before the death rattle, i.e., when the soul reaches the throat.
• One's sin should not lead him to be desperate and hopeless because Allah's pardon and mercy are vast and the door of repentance is open.
• Conditions of repentance: First: To abandon the sin. Second: To regret doing it. Third: To be determined not to return to it ever. This applies in case the sin has to do with the rights of Allah Almighty; however, if it is related to others' rights, then a condition of the validity of the repentance is to restore the right to its owner or the one to whom the right is due forgives him.

صحيح مسلم (4/ 2113) (2759). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 35). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (1/ 103). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 55).

عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «قَالَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى: يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ إِنَّكَ مَا دَعَوْتَنِي وَرَجَوْتَنِي غَفَرْتُ لَكَ عَلَى مَا كَانَ فِيكَ وَلاَ أُبَالِي، يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ لَوْ بَلَغَتْ ذُنُوبُكَ عَنَانَ السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ اسْتَغْفَرْتَنِي غَفَرْتُ لَكَ، وَلاَ أُبَالِي، يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ إِنَّكَ لَوْ أَتَيْتَنِي بِقُرَابِ الأَرْضِ خَطَايَا ثُمَّ لَقِيتَنِي لاَ تُشْرِكُ بِي شَيْئًا لأَتَيْتُكَ بِقُرَابِهَا مَغْفِرَةً».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that Allah Almighty said in a Qudsi Hadīth: O son of Adam, as long as you supplicate Me and hope for My mercy and do not despair, I will conceal your sin and eliminate it, not minding about that, even if the sin is one of the major ones. O son of Adam, if your sins grow so numerous that they fill what is between the heavens and the earth, extending over its different corners and areas, and then you ask forgiveness of Me, I shall erase and forgive all of them, not caring about how numerous they are. O son of Adam, if you come to Me after death with sins and misdeeds nearly as great as the earth, and you have died as a monotheist, not associating anything with Me, I will meet these sins and misdeeds with forgiveness as great as the earth, for I am vast in forgiveness and I forgive all sins except for Shirk.

• The Hadīth shows Allah's vast mercy, forgiveness, and bounty.
• It highlights the merit of Tawhīd and that Allah forgives the sins and misdeeds of the monotheists.
• It demonstrates the danger of Shirk and that Allah does not forgive the polytheists.
• Ibn Rajab said: This Hadīth comprises the three means whereby forgiveness of sins can be attained: First: supplication along with hope. Second: asking for forgiveness and repentance. Third: dying upon Tawhīd.
• This Hadīth is part of what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) narrated from his Lord, and it is called a Qudsi or divine Hadīth. Its wording and meaning are from Allah; however, it does not have the unique characteristics of the Qur'an that include reciting it as a form of worship, getting purified for it, presenting it as a challenge, its miraculousness, etc.
• Sins are of three types: First: Associating partners with Allah; Allah does not forgive that. Allah Almighty says: {Whoever associates any partners with Allah, Allah has forbidden Paradise for him.} Second: A person doing wrong to himself through the sins and misdeeds committed between him and his Lord. Allah Almighty pardons and forgives that, if He so wills. Third: Sins of which Allah leaves nothing, and that is people's oppression to one another; in this regard, legal retribution is necessary.

سنن الترمذي (5/ 509) (3540). التحفة الربانية في شرح الأربعين حديثًا النووية، لإسماعيل الأنصاري (ص93). شرح الأربعين النووية، لابن عثيمين (ص397).

‌عن عَلِيٍّ قَالَ: إِنِّي كُنْتُ رَجُلًا إِذَا سَمِعْتُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حَدِيثًا نَفَعَنِي اللهُ مِنْهُ بِمَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَنْفَعَنِي بِهِ، وَإِذَا حَدَّثَنِي رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ اسْتَحْلَفْتُهُ، فَإِذَا حَلَفَ لِي صَدَّقْتُهُ، وَإِنَّهُ حَدَّثَنِي ‌أَبُو بَكْرٍ، وَصَدَقَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «مَا مِنْ رَجُلٍ يُذْنِبُ ذَنْبًا، ثُمَّ يَقُومُ فَيَتَطَهَّرُ، ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي، ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ، إِلَّا غَفَرَ اللهُ لَهُ»، ثُمَّ قَرَأَ هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ: {وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا فَاحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُوا اللهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا لِذُنُوبِهِمْ} [آل عمران: 135].

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed us that no one commits a sin, then makes a perfect ablution, then gets up and offers two Rak‘ahs (units of prayer) with the intention of repenting of this sin, then asks Allah to forgive him, except that Allah will forgive him. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recited the verse in which Allah Almighty says: {And those who, when they commit a shameful act or wrong themselves, remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins – who can forgive sins except Allah? – and they do not persist in what they did knowingly.} [Surat Āl ‘Imrān: 135]

• Urging Muslims to pray and then seek Allah's forgiveness after committing a sin.
• The extensive forgiveness of Allah Almighty and His acceptance of repentance and seeking forgiveness.

سنن أبي داود (2/ 630) (1521)، سنن الترمذي (1/ 431) (406)، السنن الكبرى للنسائي (10/ 51) (11012)، سنن ابن ماجه (2/ 403) (1395)، مسند أحمد (1/ 179) (2)، فتح الباري لابن حجر (11/ 99)، النهاية في غريب الحديث والأثر (ص 674).

عَنْ سُفْيان بنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ الثَّقَفِيّ رضي الله عنه قال: قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، قُلْ لِي فِي الْإِسْلَامِ قَوْلًا لَا أَسْأَلُ عَنْهُ أَحَدًا غَيْرَكَ، قَالَ: «قُلْ: آمَنْتُ بِاللهِ، ثُمَّ اسْتَقِمْ».

Sufyān ibn ‘Abdullah, the Prophet's Companion, (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to teach him a comprehensive statement that comprises all the meanings of Islam so as to adhere to it and ask no one else about it. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: Say: I believe in Allah as the only deity, and I believe that He is my Lord, my God, my Creator, and the only God Who is truly worthy of my worship, with no partner. Then, submit to Allah and obey Him by performing what He has enjoined, avoiding what He has forbidden, and remaining steadfast on that.

• The essence of the religion is to believe in Allah, His Lordship, His Worship, and His Names and Attributes.
• The importance of being upright after Imān (faith), persistence in worship, and steadfastness.
• Imān is a condition for the acceptance of deeds.
• Belief in Allah includes the beliefs and basic principles of Imān that must be adopted and the subsequent acts of the heart along with compliance and submission to Allah inwardly and outwardly.
• Uprightness is adherence to the straight path by carrying out the duties and avoiding the prohibitions.

صحيح مسلم (1/ 65) (38)، مسند أحمد (24/ 141) (15416)، المفهم (1/137)، جامع العلوم والحكم (1/507)، فتح القوي المتين للعباد (ص 76)، شرح الأربعين النووية لعبد الكريم الخضير (ص 285)، شرح الأربعين لصالح آل الشيخ (ص 305).

عَنْ أَنَسٍ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُكْثِرُ أَنْ يَقُولَ: «يَا مُقَلِّبَ القُلُوبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى دِينِكَ»، فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، آمَنَّا بِكَ وَبِمَا جِئْتَ بِهِ فَهَلْ تَخَافُ عَلَيْنَا؟ قَالَ: «نَعَمْ، إِنَّ القُلُوبَ بَيْنَ أُصْبُعَيْنِ مِنْ أَصَابِعِ اللهِ يُقَلِّبُهَا كَيْفَ يَشَاءُ».

The supplication the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to say most frequently is to ask Allah for steadfastness to the religion and obedience to Him and keeping away from deviation and misguidance. Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) wondered at the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) making this supplication frequently. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed him that the hearts lie between two of the Fingers of Allah and He turns them as He wishes. The heart is the place where Imān or Kufr lies. It is called Qalb (in Arabic) due to its frequent Taqallub (fluctuation). It fluctuates more intensely than a boiling jar. So, Allah makes the heart of whom He wills steadfast to guidance and firm upon the religion, and He diverts the heart of whom He wills from guidance to deviation and misguidance.

• The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was submissive and humble to his Lord and used to implore Him. The Ummah is also exhorted to make the same supplication.
• The Hadīth highlights the significance of uprightness and steadfastness to the religion, and that the important thing is the end.
• A person is always in need of Allah to make him steadfast to Islam.
• We are urged to supplicate Allah a lot, in adherence to the Prophet's example.
• Steadfastness to Islam is the greatest blessing a person should seek to obtain and for which he should be grateful to his Lord.

سنن الترمذي (4/ 19) (2140). مسند أحمد (19/ 160) (12107). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (17/ 476). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 567). نزهة المتقين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (2/ 1014). تطريز رياض الصالحين، لفيصل آل مبارك (ص808). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (6/ 41).

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «الْمُؤْمِنُ الْقَوِيُّ، خَيْرٌ وَأَحَبُّ إِلَى اللهِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِ الضَّعِيفِ، وَفِي كُلٍّ خَيْرٌ، احْرِصْ عَلَى مَا يَنْفَعُكَ، وَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللهِ وَلَا تَعْجَزْ، وَإِنْ أَصَابَكَ شَيْءٌ، فَلَا تَقُلْ لَوْ أَنِّي فَعَلْتُ كَانَ كَذَا وَكَذَا، وَلَكِنْ قُلْ قَدَرُ اللهِ وَمَا شَاءَ فَعَلَ، فَإِنَّ (لَوْ) تَفْتَحُ عَمَلَ الشَّيْطَانِ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarifies that the believer is good from all aspects; however, the believer who is strong in his faith, resolve, property, and other aspects of strength is better and dearer to Allah Almighty than the weak believer. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) advised the believer to utilize the available means in what brings him benefit in his worldly affairs and the affairs of the Hereafter, along with depending upon Allah Almighty, seeking His help, and relying upon Him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), then, forbids inability, indolence, and slackness in doing what brings benefit in both abodes. If the believer works hard and utilizes the available means while seeking Allah's help and asking Him for goodness, then he should do nothing but entrust all of his affairs to Allah while knowing that Allah's choice is the best. If some calamity befalls him after that, he should not say: "Had I done such-and-such, it would have been such-and-such." "Indeed, 'if' opens the way before the devil to act" in objecting to the divine decree and lamenting what has been missed. Instead, one should submissively and contentedly say: "Allah has decreed, and whatever He wills, He does." Everything happens in compliance with Allah's will, as He does what He wants and nothing can repel His predestination or reverse His decree.

• People vary in faith.
• Strength in deeds is recommended because it results in benefits that cannot be attained through weakness.
• Man must adhere to what brings him benefit and avoid what brings him no benefit.
• The believer must seek help from Allah in all his affairs and not depend on himself.
• Establishing the divine decree and predestination and the fact that it does not contradict the pursuit of means and the endeavor to achieve good things.
• It is prohibited to say "if" during calamities by way of indignation or objection to Allah's decree and predestination.

صحيح مسلم (4/ 2052) (2664). توضيح الأحكام من بلوغ المرام، لعبد الله البسام (7/ 492). منحة العلام في شرح بلوغ المرام، لعبد الله الفوزان (10/ 338). فتح ذي الجلال والإكرام، لابن عثيمين (6/ 430).

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ بُسْرٍ رضي الله عنه أَنَّ رَجُلاً قَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنَّ شَرَائِعَ الإِسْلاَمِ قَدْ كَثُرَتْ عَلَيَّ، فَأَخْبِرْنِي بِشَيْءٍ أَتَشَبَّثُ بِهِ، قَالَ: «لاَ يَزَالُ لِسَانُكَ رَطْبًا مِنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ».

A man complained to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that the supererogatory acts of worship had become too much for him and that he could not perform them given his weakness. He, then, asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to guide him to an easy deed that would bring abundant rewards so he could adhere and hold on to it. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) advised him to keep his tongue moist and moving by remembering Allah Almighty recurrently at all times and in all states by glorifying and praising Him, seeking forgiveness from Him, supplicating Him, etc.

• The merit of remembering Allah Almighty constantly.
• Facilitating the means of attaining reward is part of Allah's great favor.
• People vary in terms of their share of righteousness and goodness.
• Remembering Allah frequently by the tongue, through Tasbīh (glorification of Allah), Tahmīd (praising Allah), Tahlīl (declaring the oneness of Allah), and Takbīr (proclaiming the greatness of Allah), besides other forms of Dhikr, along with the agreement of the heart, can replace many of the supererogatory acts of worship.
• The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was so considerate in dealing with the questioners, as he would answer each in the way that was suitable for him.

سنن الترمذي (5/ 388) (3375). سنن ابن ماجه (4/ 707) (3793). مسند أحمد (29/ 226) (17680). جامع العلوم والحكم في شرح خمسين حديثا من جوامع الكلم، لابن رجب الحنبلي (2/ 510). التحفة الربانية في شرح الأربعين حديثًا النووية، لإسماعيل الأنصاري (ص104). فتح القوي المتين في شرح الأربعين وتتمة الخمسين، للنووي وابن رجب (ص154). الأحاديث الأربعون النووية وعليها الشرح الموجز المفيد، لعبد الله بن صالح المحسن (ص93).

عَنْ صُهَيْبٍ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «عَجَبًا لِأَمْرِ الْمُؤْمِنِ، إِنَّ أَمْرَهُ كُلَّهُ خَيْرٌ، وَلَيْسَ ذَاكَ لِأَحَدٍ إِلَّا لِلْمُؤْمِنِ، إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَرَ، فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ، وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبَرَ، فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) expresses wonder, by way of admiration, at the believer's affairs and conditions because all of his conditions are good, and this is for none except the believer. Whenever something good happens to him, he thanks Allah for it and gets rewarded for showing gratitude. If something bad happens to him, he shows patience and seeks reward from Allah and, thus, gets rewarded for showing patience. So, he gets rewarded in all cases.

• The merit of showing gratitude in prosperity and patience in adversity is that whoever does this will attain goodness in both abodes. However, one who neither shows gratitude in the case of blessings nor patience in the case of calamities will miss the reward and incur sin.
• The merit of Imān (faith) and the fact that reward in all cases is for none but for those who have faith.
• Showing gratitude at times of prosperity and patience at times of adversity are from the believers' characteristics.
• Belief in Allah's decree and predestination makes the believer perfectly content with all of his conditions, unlike the non-believer, who is constantly discontented when experiencing hardship, and if he receives a blessing from Allah Almighty, he becomes preoccupied with it and gets distracted from obeying Allah, let alone using such a blessing in disobeying Him.

صحيح مسلم (4/ 2295) (2999). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 82). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (1/ 197). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 59).

عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنهما عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ: «مَا يُصِيبُ الْمُسْلِمَ مِنْ نَصَبٍ وَلَا وَصَبٍ وَلَا هَمٍّ وَلَا حُزْنٍ وَلَا أَذًى وَلَا غَمٍّ حَتَّى الشَّوْكَةِ يُشَاكُهَا إِلَّا كَفَّرَ اللهُ بِهَا مِنْ خَطَايَاهُ».

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarifies that whatever afflicts the Muslim of diseases, sorrows, sadness, adversities, calamities, hardships, fear, and hunger, even the prick of a thorn that hurts him, expiates his sins and erases his misdeeds.

• Manifesting Allah's grace and mercy that He shows to His believing slaves by forgiving their sins by the least degree of harm that afflicts them.
• The Muslim must seek Allah's reward in whatever afflicts him and must show patience in every minor or major affliction to have his degree elevated and his misdeeds expiated.

صحيح البخاري (7/ 114) (5641). صحيح مسلم (4/ 1992) (2572). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 489). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (1/ 242). شرح النووي على مسلم (16/ 126). تطريز رياض الصالحين، لفيصل آل مبارك (ص44). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 96). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمصطفى الخِن وغيره (1/ 70).

عن أبي سعيد الخدري رضي الله عنه مرفوعاً: أنَّ ناسًا من الأنصارِ سألوا رسولَ الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - فأعطاهم، ثم سألوه فأعطاهم، حتى نَفِدَ ما عنده، فقال لهم حين أنفقَ كلَّ شيءٍ بيده: «ما يَكُنْ عندي من خيرٍ فلن أَدَّخِرَهُ عَنْكُم، ومَنْ يَسْتَعْفِفْ يُعِفِّهُ اللهُ، ومَنْ يَسْتَغْنِ يُغْنِهِ اللهُ، ومَنْ يَتَصَبَّرْ يُصَبِّرْهُ اللهُ. وما أُعْطِيَ أَحَدٌ عطاءً خَيرًا وأَوسع من الصبرِ».

Some people from the Ansār asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) for alms and he gave them. They asked him again and he gave them until he had nothing left. He told them that he would not withhold anything from them. He urged them to be chaste, self-sufficient, and patient. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed them that anyone who is satisfied with the divine blessings, without need for people, Allah makes him rich. Indeed, richness is in the heart. With self-sufficiency, one needs nothing from others. Also, being chaste, one earns divine protection for oneself and one's spouse. Finally, anyone who tries to be patient, Allah grants him patience, for there is nothing better than patience.

1- نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، نشر: مؤسسة الرسالة، الطبعة: الرابعة عشر، 1407ه 1987م. 2- شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين، نشر: دار الوطن للنشر، الرياض، الطبعة: 1426ه. 3- بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، للهلالي، نشر: دار ابن الجوزي. 4- صحيح البخاري، نشر: دار طوق النجاة (مصورة عن السلطانية بإضافة ترقيم ترقيم محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي)، الطبعة: الأولى، 1422ه. 5- صحيح مسلم، تحقيق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، نشر: دار إحياء التراث العربي – بيروت. 6- المعجم الوسيط، نشر: دار إحياء التراث العربي، بيروت – لبنان، الطبعة: الثانية.