Combining Zuhd (asceticism) with the Hadith regarding Allah’s blessing upon His servant
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Question:
The questioner: How do we reconcile the hadiths encouraging zuhd (asceticism) in this world with the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2819Sahih (Darussalam)? And does zuhd apply to food, drink, clothing, and transportation, or to all wealth?
Answer:
Zuhd is humility, the absence of arrogance, and not being preoccupied with excesses that are not needed. One does not waste time on things beyond his need. Rather, he seeks sustenance, but he does not let the pursuit of this world consume all his time. This is moderation, and this is zuhd. Zuhd is not abandoning this world, not using anything from it, not marrying, and not seeking sustenance. That is not zuhd; that is what is prohibited. Seek sustenance, marry, and spend, and praise be to Allah. But being preoccupied with wealth to the extent that it distracts you from acts of obedience and from the congregational prayer, that is what is prohibited.[Al-Munafiqun 63:9], [Al-Jumu'ah 62:9],
The questioner: How do we reconcile the hadiths encouraging zuhd (asceticism) in this world with the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
Indeed Allah loves to see the results of his favors upon His Slaves.
إن الله يحب أن يرى أثر نعمته على عبدهAnswer:
Zuhd is humility, the absence of arrogance, and not being preoccupied with excesses that are not needed. One does not waste time on things beyond his need. Rather, he seeks sustenance, but he does not let the pursuit of this world consume all his time. This is moderation, and this is zuhd. Zuhd is not abandoning this world, not using anything from it, not marrying, and not seeking sustenance. That is not zuhd; that is what is prohibited. Seek sustenance, marry, and spend, and praise be to Allah. But being preoccupied with wealth to the extent that it distracts you from acts of obedience and from the congregational prayer, that is what is prohibited.
let not your wealth and your children divert you from remembrance of Allah
لَا تُلْهِكُمْ أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِwhen [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu'ah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah
إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلَاةِ مِن يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسْعَوْا إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ
Source
تفسير حزب المفصل، تفسير سورة القلم [ الآية 41 إلى آخر السورة ] — islamhouse.com (42:47)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.