It is for the second category of people that Allah sent countless prophets and messengers, some with the Divine Scriptures, to show them the path to salvation, forgiveness that would ultimately take them to Paradise (Jannah) when the human life will be resurrected. Yet, many abused the noble prophets and continue the life as it pleases them, not knowing the severe consequences and being thrown into the hell fire.
Like all other prophets, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ cautioned his companions and polytheists around of a life in the hereafter when everyone will stand to receive what he did in the worldly life - good for good and bad for the worst.
We share one of Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ on the same theme as mentioned in Sahi al-Bukhārī (Book 78: Good Manners and Form (Al-Adab) / كتاب الأدب / Chapter 61: Pride and arrogance / باب الْكِبْرِ / as Hadith 6071, given herein under:
Narrated by Haritha bin Wahb:
Al-Khuzai: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Shall I inform you about the people of Paradise? They comprise every obscure unimportant humble person, and if he takes Allah's Oath that he will do that thing, Allah will fulfill his oath (by doing that). Shall I inform you about the people of the Fire? They comprise every cruel, violent, proud and conceited person."
Arabic Text:
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْبَدُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ الْقَيْسِيُّ، عَنْ حَارِثَةَ بْنِ وَهْبٍ الْخُزَاعِيِّ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِأَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ، كُلُّ ضَعِيفٍ مُتَضَاعِفٍ، لَوْ أَقْسَمَ عَلَى اللَّهِ لأَبَرَّهُ، أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِأَهْلِ النَّارِ كُلُّ عُتُلٍّ جَوَّاظٍ مُسْتَكْبِرٍ ".
The hadith narrated describes the people of Paradise and the people of the Fire, offers profound insights into the moral and spiritual qualities that determine one's ultimate fate in the Hereafter. This hadith highlights two key characteristics for each group:
- The People of Paradise:
- Humble and Unimportant: The people of Paradise, according to this hadith, are described as humble, obscure, and not necessarily people of worldly significance. This emphasizes that one's status in this life, in terms of wealth, power, or social influence, does not determine their place in the Hereafter. The key traits here are humility and piety, not outward appearances or worldly achievements.
- Fulfillment of Oaths to Allah: The hadith also mentions that if such a person swears an oath by Allah to do something, Allah will fulfill it. This signifies that people of humility and sincerity are trusted by Allah, and their promises, especially those made in the name of Allah, are honored.
- The People of the Fire:
- Cruelty, Violence, Pride, and Conceit: On the other hand, the people of the Fire are described as having negative qualities such as cruelty, violence, pride, and arrogance. These qualities are destructive both in this world and the Hereafter, and they contradict the values that lead to Paradise.
- The emphasis on pride and arrogance suggests that those who are haughty and dismissive of others, believing themselves superior to others, especially to the humble and downtrodden, are those most likely to end up in Hell.
Alignment of the hadith with Qur'an
Nothing that prophets say is something that is not found in Qur'an. In fact all sayings of prophets are based on Divine guidance, cautions and commandments as mentioned in the Divine Scriptures. Thus, concepts in this hadith align closely with several Quranic verses:
- Humility and Righteousness Lead to Paradise:
- In the Quran, humility is often praised as a key trait of the righteous. Allah says in Surah Al-Furqan (25:63):
- "And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily, and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words of] peace." (25:63)
- This verse illustrates that the humble, who respond peacefully to harshness, are among the righteous, similar to the description of the people of Paradise in the hadith.
- Pride and Arrogance Lead to Hell:
- The Quran also repeatedly warns against arrogance, as it is a trait that leads to destruction. In Surah Luqman (31:18-19), it states:
- "And do not turn your cheek in contempt toward people and do not walk through the earth exultantly. Indeed, Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful." (31:18)
- This verse aligns with the hadith's description of the people of the Fire, who are characterized by pride and arrogance.
- The Fulfillment of Oaths:
- Allah's fulfillment of oaths made by the humble believers is supported in the Quran. Surah At-Tawbah (9:111) describes the covenant between Allah and the believers:
- "Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise..." (9:111)
- This verse speaks to the idea of the fulfillment of promises between Allah and His faithful servants, much like the trust in the hadith that Allah will fulfill the oaths of the humble believers.
Application to Present Times
In the modern world, these teachings continue to be incredibly relevant:
- Value of Humility: In a society that often values fame, wealth, and power, the reminder from this hadith that the humble and seemingly insignificant people may be the ones who are closest to Allah and deserving of Paradise is significant. This challenges the superficial standards of success and encourages believers to focus on inner qualities like humility, kindness, and sincerity, rather than outward achievements.
- Warning Against Arrogance:
- In today's world, pride and arrogance are often seen as signs of success or strength. In fact this category of people dominate the low profile honest people, and rule with their might, cruelty and stubborn arrogance.
- The most interesting thing about these people is the outwardly fulfill all religious obligations, yet their act are altogether differ from the values, ethics and embodiment of following the religion as it should be.
- There is a need more than ever before that social media should foster an environment where self-promotion, superiority, and conceit are normalized. The hadith and Quranic teachings warn against such behavior, emphasizing that it is detrimental not only to one's spiritual well-being but also to one's community and relationships.
- Trust in Allah: The hadith's mention of Allah fulfilling the oaths of the humble encourages believers to trust in Allah's promises. In times of uncertainty or when facing challenges, believers can find peace in knowing that Allah honors the sincere intentions of those who strive to act righteously and maintain their integrity.
In conclusion, this hadith calls for a reevaluation of what truly matters in both the spiritual and material aspects of life. It is a reminder to prioritize humility, kindness, and righteousness over pride, cruelty, and arrogance, with the hope that such qualities lead to Allah's mercy and ultimately to Paradise.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
Please refer to our exclusive reference page Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about Morality for more etiquettes attributed to Prophet Muhammad.
Please refer to our reference page: Collection of Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about Warning and Cautions for more Hadiths on the subject
For more hadiths on varying subjects, refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about Hadiths and Sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors. If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.
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