37. Asceticism
٣٧۔ كتاب الزهد
“We said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, will we be taken to task for what we did in the Ignorance period?’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Whoever does good in Islam (i.e., after becoming a Muslim) he will not be taken to task for what he did in the Ignorance period, but whoever does evil (i.e., after entering Islam) he will be taken to task for both the former and the latter.’”
قُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنُؤَاخَذُ بِمَا كُنَّا نَفْعَلُ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَنْ أَحْسَنَ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ لَمْ يُؤَاخَذْ بِمَا كَانَ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ وَمَنْ أَسَاءَ أُخِذَ بِالأَوَّلِ وَالآخِرِ
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me: ‘O ‘Aishah, beware of (evil) deeds that are regarded as insignificant, for they have a pursuer from Allah. (i.e. accountability).”
لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَا عَائِشَةُ إِيَّاكِ وَمُحَقَّرَاتِ الأَعْمَالِ فَإِنَّ لَهَا مِنَ اللَّهِ طَالِبًا
The heart develops black spots due to sins
“When the believer commits sin, a black spot appears on his heart. If he repents and gives up that sin and seeks forgiveness, his heart will be polished. But if (the sin) increases, (the black spot) increases. That is the Ran that Allah mentions in His Book: “Nay! But on their hearts is the Ran (covering of sins and evil deeds) which they used to earn.” [83:14]
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ إِذَا أَذْنَبَ كَانَتْ نُكْتَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ فِي قَلْبِهِ فَإِنْ تَابَ وَنَزَعَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ صُقِلَ قَلْبُهُ فَإِنْ زَادَ زَادَتْ فَذَلِكَ الرَّانُ الَّذِي ذَكَرَهُ اللَّهُ فِي كِتَابِهِ {كَلاَّ بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ} [المطففين 14]
“I certainly know people of my nation who will come on the Day of Resurrection with good deeds like the mountains of Tihamah, but Allah will make them like scattered dust.” Thawban said: “O Messenger of Allah, describe them to us and tell us more, so that we will not become of them unknowingly.” He said: “They are your brothers and from your race, worshipping at night as you do, but they will be people who, when they are alone, transgress the sacred limits of Allah.”
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّهُ قَالَ لأَعْلَمَنَّ أَقْوَامًا مِنْ أُمَّتِي يَأْتُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بِحَسَنَاتٍ أَمْثَالِ جِبَالِ تِهَامَةَ بِيضًا فَيَجْعَلُهَا اللَّهُ ﷻ هَبَاءً مَنْثُورًا قَالَ ثَوْبَانُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صِفْهُمْ لَنَا جَلِّهِمْ لَنَا أَنْ لاَ نَكُونَ مِنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لاَ نَعْلَمُ قَالَ أَمَا إِنَّهُمْ إِخْوَانُكُمْ وَمِنْ جِلْدَتِكُمْ وَيَأْخُذُونَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ كَمَا تَأْخُذُونَ وَلَكِنَّهُمْ أَقْوَامٌ إِذَا خَلَوْا بِمَحَارِمِ اللَّهِ انْتَهَكُوهَا
“The Prophet ﷺ was asked: ‘What most admits people to Paradise?’ He said: ‘Piety and good manners.’ And he was asked: ‘What most leads people to Hell?’ He said: ‘The two hollow ones: The mouth and the private part.’”
سُئِلَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ مَا أَكْثَرُ مَا يُدْخِلُ الْجَنَّةَ قَالَ التَّقْوَى وَحُسْنُ الْخُلُقِ وَسُئِلَ مَا أَكْثَرُ مَا يُدْخِلُ النَّارَ قَالَ الأَجْوَفَانِ الْفَمُ وَالْفَرْجُ