Warning against a person's aversion to death, and encouraging him to receive it with contentment and joy when it comes, out of love for meeting Allah (Mighty and Majestic).

The Shaykh : Warning against a person's aversion to death, and encouraging him to receive it with contentment and joy when it comes, out of love for meeting Allah (Mighty and Majestic):
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . I said: O Prophet of Allah, is it the aversion to death? For all of us avert from death. He said: . It was narrated by al-Bukhari, Muslim, al-Tirmidhi, and al-Nasa'i.
This hadith, as indicated by its tracing to the authentic books of encouragement and warning, contains a point in this tracing that must be mentioned, as it relates to the terminology of hadith. That is, the hadith was attributed to al-Bukhari and Muslim, and it was introduced from Aisha. When a hadith is attributed to al-Bukhari, this attribution, specifically regarding its connection to "Sahih al-Bukhari," has several possibilities:
First: al-Bukhari narrated it with a connected, authentic chain.
Second: al-Bukhari narrated it as a suspended hadith.
Third: al-Bukhari narrated it in one of his other books, other than "Sahih al-Bukhari."
Regarding these possibilities, the scholars of hadith agreed on a convention so that a student of knowledge would not be confused when he sees a hadith attributed to al-Bukhari and wonders: Which of these types is it? They agreed that when a hadith scholar who knows what he is saying and is precise in his speech says: "al-Bukhari narrated it," he means: with a connected, authentic chain in his book "Sahih." However, if the one saying "al-Bukhari narrated it" means one of the other two possibilities, that is, either as a suspended hadith or outside the "Sahih," then it is necessary to qualify this tracing at that time. For example, he might say: "al-Bukhari narrated it as a suspended hadith," or he might say: "al-Bukhari narrated it in the Part on Recitation..."
And Muslim narrated it with a connected chain. Even if he did not say "Muslim narrated it with a connected chain," because it is not the custom of Muslim to suspend hadiths frequently, as is the custom of Imam al-Bukhari. Some of the imams of hadith counted the suspended hadiths in the entire "Sahih Muslim" and they did not reach twenty hadiths, whereas the suspended hadiths in "Sahih al-Bukhari" may exceed one thousand hadiths. Therefore, it is appropriate to qualify this tracing. For example, he might say: "al-Bukhari narrated it as a suspended hadith, and Muslim, so-and-so, so-and-so, and so-and-so narrated it as mentioned." However, Muslim narrated this specific hadith with another connected chain from 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit. It is possible, also, that the author either made a mistake or was careless and included one hadith within another. He introduced it from Aisha, and then in the tracing he said: "al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated it," meaning al-Bukhari narrated it from 'Ubadah, not from Aisha. This happens with some of the later scholars, and there is nothing strange about it, because they are not in this position regarding the science of hadith, unlike our author here. He is one of the great preservers of hadith. Therefore, the matter is as it is said here: "The good deeds of the righteous are the bad deeds of those brought near [to Allah]." Although this phrase was discussed in a discussion we mentioned in "Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Da'ifah wa al-Mawdu'ah" (The Chain of Weak and Fabricated Hadiths), because this phrase is narrated as a hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and has no basis. Furthermore, it contains much leniency, because it cannot be that "the good deeds of the righteous are the bad deeds of those brought near." But the meaning is that what may be nothing for some people may be something for which they are held accountable if it comes from some other people of status, rank, and knowledge.
I say this, and I must remind you that some of our brothers in the previous lesson seemed to draw my attention to the fact that when I speak in such researches, it seems to them that the atmosphere does not tolerate such research. And I find a point in his opinion, but we believe, and we mentioned this in some detail in the past, that the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). And we believe that the circles of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) that were held in his mosque to teach people... Islam in all its aspects, its principles and its branches, were general circles. There was no special circle for Abu Bakr, 'Umar, and the elite of the people, for example, and another special class for those below them, and another for the Bedouins and the like. Rather, the gathering of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) brought together all these types of classes. And this is the ultimate wisdom, as we believe. It is sufficient that... he is our Messenger (may Allah's prayers and peace be upon him). So we believe that the circle of knowledge should not be in the way that became the convention in the present age, except for certain classes. As for religious knowledge, it must be general for all people. Then each class of these people takes from what is cast into their ears and hearing what corresponds to their scientific, intellectual, and cultural capacity, and so on. Therefore, I see, especially since there is—unfortunately!—no one who gives lessons in the terminology of hadith, neither for the general public nor the specific, not only in Damascus, and not only in Syria, but in most Islamic countries. May Allah except the Indian and Pakistani countries, which in reality have the precedence and the merit in their enlightenment in the study of this science; the science of hadith, its terminology, its hadiths, its explanations, and its annotations. For this reason, I see that it is not only that there is no objection, but I see it is obligatory that we address such hadithic points so that those who first have a garden in such a science, and then have a second psychological readiness, may pick them up. After this, we return to the hadith, and I do not see that the hadith needs a large explanation.
After Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) directed the question that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) answered, where he removed the confusion; , what comes to mind from the meaning of this hadith is what came to the mind of Lady Aisha, which is... meeting Allah is death, absolute death. So she said: Is it the aversion to death? And in her question here is something of her etiquette that she received from her master and her husband Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), because her question was not a question of confirmation, but rather a question of inquiry and clarification. People differ in such a field, some from others. So I mention, for example, Lady Hafsa (may Allah be pleased with her), also a wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), but she is not in the position of Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) in terms of fame in knowledge. So it is necessary that the effect of this difference in knowledge appears in the actions of each of them in their speech and in their questions. So I mention, for example, a hadith in Muslim's "Sahih," which is from the narration of this Lady Hafsa (may Allah be pleased with her). She said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . She said: How is this, while Allah (Mighty and Majestic) says: . He (peace be upon him) answered her: أليس قال الله - عز وجل - بعد ذلك : ثم ننجِّي الذين اتقوا ونذر الظالمين فيها جثيًّا Did not Allah, Mighty and Majestic, say after that: Then We will save those who feared Us, and We will leave the wrongdoers therein prostrate?.
I notice a difference between this question and that question. Here, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says: “O Prophet of Allah, is it a dislike of death?” We all dislike death. He said: . The Messenger (peace be upon him) explained that this love is for meeting Allah, and that dislike of this meeting is not during the human being’s life and his movement in this world, but in a single moment when death approaches him. Not every moment of presence is this, but in a single moment when his sight and insight are unveiled; he sees his place in Paradise or in the Fire. So whoever is a believer is given glad tidings that he has Paradise, and whoever is a disbeliever—may Allah protect us from that—is given tidings of the Fire. There is the love mentioned for meeting Allah, and the dislike mentioned for meeting Allah. That is, if a Muslim is approached by death, then there, as Allah (Mighty and Majestic) said in the Noble Qur’an: . When do the angels descend upon them? At the hour of the approach of death. It is not as some deviant Sufis who have strayed from the Book and the Muhammadan Sunnah think, that the angels descend upon the people of Allah—so they claim!—constantly and forever. No, this verse is interpreted this way in the detailed books in the Salafi manner: meaning: giving them glad tidings when death approaches them. At that time, the believer rejoices in meeting Allah (Mighty and Majestic), so Allah (Mighty and Majestic) receives him with the like of that. And the opposite is the opposite: the disbeliever is warned of the Fire, so he naturally dislikes meeting Allah, and Allah dislikes his meeting Him.
So this love for meeting Allah, which necessitates a love of death in that moment, is not a general love, meaning that the Muslim loves death constantly and forever. This is as Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) hinted, that by nature, the human being dislikes death. Then, the Muslim dislikes death not because he is torn away and separated from this worldly life and the enjoyment of its pleasures and the distraction of its amusements, but rather he fears that meeting in the Hereafter, lest he be short with his Lord (Blessed and Exalted is He). Therefore, it is also among the characteristics of the believers that they fear meeting their Lord; they fear meeting Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Why? Because they do not live in this worldly life being arrogant and pleased with what they may have presented for themselves of righteous deeds. That is because the Muslim who fears for his future, for his eternal life, does not look at his work with a look of satisfaction and acceptance. Because it is required that the work be accepted by Allah (Mighty and Majestic), that it be pure and sincere for the Face of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). And this is the greatest jihad in reality. The greatest jihad is not that the Muslim does a righteous deed; here we are praying, and here we are fasting, and we may perform Hajj repeatedly. But the greatest jihad is first that our righteous deeds be in accordance with the Sunnah, and that there be nothing in them of religious innovation that corrupts the righteous deed .
So jihad is not in the doing, or merely in the doing, of a work that is worship and obedience to Allah (Mighty and Majestic); the examples we mentioned of prayer, Hajj, zakah, and the like. Rather, it is that the two fundamental conditions are present in that work for it to be accepted by Allah (Mighty and Majestic). The first condition is that it be in accordance with the Sunnah, as we mentioned. Otherwise, every work—as he (peace be upon him) said: . Therefore, how many a prays who has not prayed, how many a pilgrim who has not performed Hajj, as was said previously:
You have not performed Hajj, but the camels have performed Hajj.
Many people today, when we meet them there in Hajj, they collapse after the time has passed and after what is also called “the ruin of Basra.” They ask: “My master, I did such and such.” What does “did” mean? He did not stand at ‘Arafah! He stood before it! Yes, and the Messenger says: . So what did this person gain? He prepared, perhaps he was poor in livelihood or better than that, of moderate status. He was pinching himself to gather the expense for Hajj, and then his expense went to waste, scattered like dust.
And so, how many a prays, as he (peace be upon him) said: . Therefore, the Muslim remains fearful and apprehensive about his work, lest at least one of the conditions not be present in it. If he is careful, like us, for example, who belong to the Sunnah and strive to have all our works and worship in accordance with the Sunnah, sincerity may be missed. Therefore, one does not combine reliance and self-satisfaction with a righteous work if he is apprehensive, like those believers whom the Lord of the Worlds stood them, as you heard in the previous verse . Therefore, a person does not become arrogant and say: “I swear by Allah, I am a Muslim man and I do good, and therefore I love meeting Allah.” This love is a lie, and its claimant is a liar. Rather, the true love that the Messenger (peace be upon him) intended is when he meets the fruit of his righteous work truly, when death approaches him, as will come in a subsequent hadith after this.
So Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: . She said: “O Prophet of Allah, is it a dislike of death? We all dislike death.” He said: . It was narrated by al-Bukhari—meaning: as a hanging narration, as we said—and by Muslim, al-Tirmidhi, and al-Nasa'i.
Then he said: And from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . We said: “O Messenger of Allah, do we all dislike death?” He said: . It was narrated by Imam Ahmad, and its narrators are the narrators of the authentic books, and by al-Nasa'i with a good chain, except that he said: It was said: “O Messenger of Allah, and there is no one among us who does not dislike death.” He said: .
Then he said: And from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said—meaning from Allah (Mighty and Majestic)—... He said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said—meaning from Allah (Mighty and Majestic): . It was narrated by Malik and al-Bukhari—and the wording is his—and by Muslim and al-Nasa'i.
And from ‘Ubadah ibn al-Samit, that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: . It was narrated by al-Bukhari, Muslim, al-Tirmidhi, and al-Nasa'i.
In the next lesson—Allah willing—we will mention the rest of this chapter from what is authentic. And this is sufficient, and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.