Topic of Discussion:

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In the name of All°h, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful

Discussion: The Relationship between the Religion and the Material World
Øad¢th #3
#37 [ Discussion #4
#49 ]
Lectures on Akhl°q given by His Eminence
Ayatull°h al-`U®m° al-Ø°jj ash-Shaykh N°•ir Mak°rim ash-Sh¢r°z¢ (may All°h protect him)
Translated by Saleem Bhimji – www.al-mubin.org – al-mubin@al-mubin.org

:
Topic: The Relation Between
the Religion and the Material World
Text of the Øad¢th:

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TRANSLATION: It has been narrated by Ab¢ Sa`¢d al-Khudr¢ that he said, “When the Messenger of All°h
TRANSLATION
(blessings of All°h be upon him and his family) was returning back from U¶ud, and while he was in a state of
leaning upon Dalhah with throngs of people around them both, I heard him say ‘O’ Mankind! Engage in those
actions which form your primary responsibility for the improvement of your next life, and turn away (do not
keep yourself busy) from all of those things which have been guaranteed for you for the life of this world (your
sustenance) and do not make use of the body parts which have been given to you as a blessing in the way of sins
and against the laws (of All°h) and make your primary task (in this world) that of seeking the forgiveness (from
All°h for your sins).’”1

Commentary of Øad¢th:
Any ¶ad¢th which we examine, as we know, has been spoken at a specific instance in time and the depths of the
meaning of the a¶°d¢th is also different when we keep in mind the various instances (in which they were spoken).

The situation after the Battle of U¶ud was an exclusive instance in time. The Muslims had lost many of their dear
ones - such as Øamzah, the Leader of the Martyrs. The Prophet (blessings of All°h be upon him and his family)
himself had many injuries on his body and even his blessed teeth had been shattered - and according to the
¶ad¢th from Im°m `Al¢ ibne Ab¢ D°lib (peace be upon him), the Prophet (blessings of All°h be upon him and his
family) had over ninety injuries on his body!

1 Bi¶°r al-Anw°r, Volume 74, Page 182

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In summary, the situation at that time was very tense and critical and thus, the Prophet (blessings of All°h be
upon him and his family) not only had to give the people a sense of hope (for the future), but he also had to calm
and settle them down. In addition to all of this, he also had to strengthen their spiritual foundations and prepare
them to compensate for this loss which they had just suffered.

In such a sensitive time, he gave them four commandments which would not only act as a source of tranquility to
their hearts and lives, but it would also make clear for them the path to removing the tension for the losses which
they suffered at U¶ud and which would lead to their victory in the future.

The essence of the words spoken by the Prophet (blessings of All°h be upon him and his family) which have been
contained in these commandments are in relation to the religion and this material world:

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“Perform those things which are your primary and principal responsibilities…”

As we know, people have one set of responsibilities which are their primary responsibilities; however they also
have others which are their secondary duties. The primary responsibility of the person is the correction and
reformation of the next life, while the secondary program in one’s life is that of this material world which has
been guaranteed by All°h (Glory and Greatness be to Him).

In relation to this fact, the Noble Qur˜°n tells us:

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“There is no moving creature on Earth but its sustenance depends on All°h and He knows the time and place of
its resting and its temporary repository (of goods): all this is in a manifest Book.”2

In relation to the next life, we do not have a single verse of the Qur˜°n which has given us such a guarantee such
that (through that verse) all people would be assured of entering into Paradise!

From one point of view, Isl°m tells us that we should not busy ourselves too much with the life of this world, and
in reality, we are commanded that we must spend most of our time in the remembrance of the next life since
naturally, within the self of the person, there is something which pulls him towards the material world and we
know that the various spiritual dimensions which seek to pull him towards the next life are weak within the
person. It is for this fact that in relation to this material world, people are just like machines who are chasing
something (of this material life) while in relation to the next life, it is like the machine is moving fast and rapidly
around them (which they can not catch up with).

Thus, the issue of not paying attention to the material world does not mean that Isl°m wants people to be lazy,
poor and not to be prosperous in the economic spheres of life – no it is definitely not like this! The nature and
instinct of man is that he gravitates towards the material world and thus, we see that the greatest teacher of
humanity, the Noble Prophet of Isl°m (blessings of All°h be upon him and his family), has ordered that there
must be a balance in life.

After this commandment, the Noble Prophet (blessings of All°h be upon him and his family) then brings forth a
very affectionate commandment and states that, “Are you not ashamed that you are making use of the blessings
of All°h (Glory and Greatness be to Him) and are performing sins with these things which He has granted you?”

2 Noble Qur˜°n, Surah 11 (S£ratul Hud), Verse 6

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In other words, you eat the salt but you end up breaking the salt shaker! Is it not something very indecent and
rude that for example, you go to someone’s house, eat from the food he has provided at his table for you and then
you get up and start to insult that very same host!?!

Without doubt, if at the time when a person was moving close to sinning, if he were to remember this line that:
All the power and energy lies solely with All°h (Glory and Greatness be to Him)
Him),
m) he would definitely stop in the
face of committing sins.

In conclusion, the Prophet (blessings of All°h be upon him and his family) then states that, “Seek forgiveness
from All°h and struggle to attain closeness to the obedience of All°h and expend all of your ambitions in this
regards so that you are able to become His servant.”

…and all praise belongs to All°h (Glory and Greatness be to Him), only the mistakes are mine