What is the meaning of the hadith of Ibn Mas'ud: "Indeed, one of you may do the deeds of the people of Paradise until there is nothing between him and it but a cubit"?
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The questioner : I ask for clarification of the hadith of the man who was doing the deeds of the people of Paradise until there was nothing between him and it but a cubit, to the end of the hadith, where it concludes that he was sealed with the deeds of the people of the Fire. This is because I heard from some of the brothers that he was one of the committed and upright, but about a month before his death he fell into sin and then died?
The Shaykh : I seek refuge in Allah. This hadith, as you heard, is the hadith of Ibn Mas'ud: "Indeed, one of you may do the deeds of the people of Paradise, or do the deeds of the people of the Fire." It is an authentic hadith, but it has been specified regarding the one who does the deeds of the people of Paradise and then the decree overtakes him, so he does the deeds of the people of the Fire. It was specified as follows:Sahih Muslim 112b, and this is in what al-Bukhari narrated in the story of the man who was with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and who did not leave a single hair or strand of the enemy without cutting it off. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . How can this heroic mujahid be from the people of the Fire? : So this hadith specifies the hadith of Ibn Mas'ud, meaning: that he does the deeds of the people of Paradise as it appears to people, until his time approaches, and then he does the deeds of the people of the Fire. For this reason, a person should always ask Allah the Exalted for steadfastness and a good ending, and not be deluded by his current deeds, because this deed may change at the time of death. So the matter is severe and great. We ask Allah Mighty and Majestic to make our ending and yours good.
The questioner : Is it obligatory to be cautious of hypocrisy and showing off, because it falls under this?
The Shaykh : Yes, the hypocrite does the deeds of the people of Paradise as it appears to people, and the one who shows off is from the people of the Fire. Therefore, it is obligatory to be cautious of hypocrisy and showing off. Being cautious of hypocrisy also means that a person should constantly review his heart and avoid the signs of the hypocrite that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) explained:Sunan an-Nasa'i 5021Sahih (Darussalam). He should avoid all of this.
The Shaykh : I seek refuge in Allah. This hadith, as you heard, is the hadith of Ibn Mas'ud: "Indeed, one of you may do the deeds of the people of Paradise, or do the deeds of the people of the Fire." It is an authentic hadith, but it has been specified regarding the one who does the deeds of the people of Paradise and then the decree overtakes him, so he does the deeds of the people of the Fire. It was specified as follows:
a person performs deeds like the deeds of the people of Paradise apparently before people and he would be amongst the dwellers of Hell
يعمل بعمل أهل الجنة فيما يبدو للناس، وهو من أهل النارIndeed, this man is from the people of the Fire. This was a great shock to the Companions and it was heavy for them.
إن هذا من أهل النار، فعظم ذلك على الصحابة وكبر عليهمSo one of the Companions said: By Allah, I will keep him in my company—meaning: I will stay with him until I see what the outcome will be. He said: So an arrow from the enemy struck him—struck this heroic man—and he panicked. He took his sword, placed it on his chest, and leaned on it until it came out of his back—may Allah protect us from that—and he died. The man who had been keeping him in his company came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that you are the Messenger of Allah. He said: Why? He said: The man about whom you said he is from the people of the Fire did such and such. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Indeed, a man may do the deeds of the people of Paradise as it appears to people, but he is from the people of the Fire.
فقال أحد الصحابة: والله لألزمنه -أي: ألازمه حتى أنظر ماذا تكون العاقبة- يقول: فأصابه سهم -أصاب هذا الرجل البطل- من العدو فجزع، فأخذ بسيفه وجعله على صدره واتكأ عليه حتى خرج من ظهره -والعياذ بالله- فمات، فجاء الرجل الذي كان ملازماً له إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم فقال: أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وأنك رسول الله، قال: ولم؟ قال: إن الرجل الذي قلت: إنه من أهل النار فعل كذا وكذا، فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: إن الرجل ليعمل بعمل أهل الجنة فيما يبدو للناس وهو من أهل النارThe questioner : Is it obligatory to be cautious of hypocrisy and showing off, because it falls under this?
The Shaykh : Yes, the hypocrite does the deeds of the people of Paradise as it appears to people, and the one who shows off is from the people of the Fire. Therefore, it is obligatory to be cautious of hypocrisy and showing off. Being cautious of hypocrisy also means that a person should constantly review his heart and avoid the signs of the hypocrite that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) explained: