Explanation of the Book: The Beginning of Revelation, Faith, and Knowledge-04b
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The reciter: Abd al-Salam ibn Matar narrated to us, saying: Umar ibn Ali narrated to us from Ma'n ibn Muhammad al-Ghafari from Sa'id ibn Abi Sa'id al-Maqburi from Abu Hurayrah from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who said: Sahih al-Bukhari 39.
The Shaykh : His statement (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him):, this indicates that religion is ease itself. He did not say that religion is from ease, or that ease is from religion. He said: , meaning he informed about religion. Yes, he informed about it using the noun, as if religion itself is ease. And this indicates that the entire Islamic legislation is ease.
Therefore, we find that the acts of worship that Allah has made obligatory upon His servants are all ease. Start with purification, prayer, zakah, fasting, and Hajj. Then, if something occurs that necessitates ease, it is also made easy. Then, if a person is not able to perform the act at all, it is dropped. And is there anything easier than this? Yes?
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said to 'Umar ibn al-Husayn:Sunan Abi Dawud 952Sahih (Al-Albani), this is ease. And likewise in purification: perform wudu' and ghusl. If you do not find water, or if you are sick, then perform tayammum. This is ease.
In zakah, you find it is ease. If a person profits forty thousand, he is not obligated except... or if a person's wealth is forty thousand, he is not obligated except one thousand. And with that, did this thousand become a loss for him? No, absolutely not.[Al-Baqarah 2:261].
Hajj, and the ease in it is apparent, because Allah singled it out with the condition of ability, by His saying:[Ali 'Imran 3:97], even though all acts of worship are like this. And if a person is completely unable, what happens?
It is dropped. It is dropped from him. So religion is ease, as the Messenger (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) said.
But whoever contends with religion and overcomes it, religion will overcome him. And therefore, we find that those who contend with religion are afflicted with matters they cannot handle, whether that is in the matters of the Shari'ah during the time of revelation, or in the matters of divine decree after the time of revelation. The people of Moses, when they were strict in describing the cow, He was strict with them. This Ummah, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them from asking questions, and he said:Sahih al-Bukhari 7289, all of this is for what?
For the sake of not being strict, so that Allah does not be strict with them. After revelation, there is no strictness in legislation because the Shari'ah has settled. But there may be strictness in divine decree. For example, if a person is strict with purification, he may be afflicted with waswas (whispers), may Allah grant us safety. And the affliction with waswas, do not think it is easy. The affliction with waswas may lead a person to abandoning prayer, or to abandoning wudu'. And we are informed of this from some people. Shaytan takes hold of a person—we seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan—and then he remains performing wudu' until the time passes from the beginning of the time to the end of the time. He cannot do it, and he cries and cannot do it.
At prayer, he cannot do it, so he cries and is distressed and leaves the prayer, as is reported to us. It is reported to us from those who were afflicted with this. It is not a matter with a sound chain. This is strictness. And its cause, and Allah knows best, is that the person was first strict with a simple matter, then it increased until he was strict with himself.
Sahih al-Bukhari 39 Then he said: It is said that the "waw" here means "or." "Be straightforward" means hit the target from "siddad," which is hitting the target of the arrow. And "come close" means or come close if the hit does not occur. And the result and the fruit is "give glad tidings." This is the result: give glad tidings that the matter is complete. If you hit the target if possible, or come close if not possible, and give glad tidings, for your reward is complete and will not be lost.
Sahih al-Bukhari 39, this is the physical journey. But the Messenger (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) gave it as an example: that the traveler does not burden himself. Seek help through the morning, the beginning of the day, and the evening, the end of the day, and a portion of the night, the "dalajah." Is the middle of the day a place for travel or not?
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : Why?
The questioner : Because it is rest.
The Shaykh : Because it is a place of rest. Rest yourself. A portion of the night, not the whole night, because traveling all night is difficult. And for this reason, the Prophet (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) said: So travel in your journey to Allah in acts of worship as you travel in physical roads. Do not tire yourself.
And for this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) disapproved of those who wanted to be strict with themselves. Until some of them said: "I will pray and not sleep," and the second said: "I will fast and not break my fast," and the third said: "I will not marry women." So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) delivered a sermon and said:Sahih Muslim 1401 All of this, and praise be to Allah, is with ease, and rebuking strictness.
And for this reason, the scholars differed on a matter: if the scholars differ, or if the evidences differ, and the evidences conflict in a matter, and the preponderance of one evidence over the other is not clear and they are equal for the person, does he take the stricter one or the easier one?
Some of them said: He takes the stricter one because it is more cautious, and it absolves the conscience. And some of them said: He takes the easier one because it is more in accordance with the objectives of the Shari'ah, and the original state is the absolution of the conscience. And some of the scholars said he is given a choice, and that is because the evidences and meanings are balanced for him.
And the closest to me is that he takes the easier one, because it is in accordance with the Shari'ah, so it is more in accordance with the spirit of the Shari'ah. Yes? Sound?
Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be extremists, but try to be near to perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded; and gain strength by worshipping in the mornings, the afternoons, and during the last hours of the nights.
إن الدين يسر ولن يشاد الدين أحد إلا غلبه فسددوا وقاربوا وأبشروا واستعينوا بالغدوة والروحة وشيء من الدلجةThe Shaykh : His statement (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him):
Indeed, the religion is ease
إن الدين يسرThe religion is easy
الدين يسرTherefore, we find that the acts of worship that Allah has made obligatory upon His servants are all ease. Start with purification, prayer, zakah, fasting, and Hajj. Then, if something occurs that necessitates ease, it is also made easy. Then, if a person is not able to perform the act at all, it is dropped. And is there anything easier than this? Yes?
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said to 'Umar ibn al-Husayn:
offer prayer in standing condition; if you are unable to do so, then in sitting condition: if you are then at your side
صل قائما فإن لم تستطع فقاعدا ، فإن لم تستطع فعلى جنبكIn zakah, you find it is ease. If a person profits forty thousand, he is not obligated except... or if a person's wealth is forty thousand, he is not obligated except one thousand. And with that, did this thousand become a loss for him? No, absolutely not.
like a seed [of grain] which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred grains
كمثل حبة أنبتت سبع سنابل في كل سنبلة مئة حبةHajj, and the ease in it is apparent, because Allah singled it out with the condition of ability, by His saying:
for whoever is able to find thereto a way
من استطاع إليه سبيلاIt is dropped. It is dropped from him. So religion is ease, as the Messenger (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) said.
But whoever contends with religion and overcomes it, religion will overcome him. And therefore, we find that those who contend with religion are afflicted with matters they cannot handle, whether that is in the matters of the Shari'ah during the time of revelation, or in the matters of divine decree after the time of revelation. The people of Moses, when they were strict in describing the cow, He was strict with them. This Ummah, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them from asking questions, and he said:
The most sinful person among the Muslims is the one who asked about something which had not been prohibited, but was prohibited because of his asking.
إن أعظم المسلمين جرما من سأل عن شيء لم يحرم فحرم لأجل مسألتهFor the sake of not being strict, so that Allah does not be strict with them. After revelation, there is no strictness in legislation because the Shari'ah has settled. But there may be strictness in divine decree. For example, if a person is strict with purification, he may be afflicted with waswas (whispers), may Allah grant us safety. And the affliction with waswas, do not think it is easy. The affliction with waswas may lead a person to abandoning prayer, or to abandoning wudu'. And we are informed of this from some people. Shaytan takes hold of a person—we seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan—and then he remains performing wudu' until the time passes from the beginning of the time to the end of the time. He cannot do it, and he cries and cannot do it.
At prayer, he cannot do it, so he cries and is distressed and leaves the prayer, as is reported to us. It is reported to us from those who were afflicted with this. It is not a matter with a sound chain. This is strictness. And its cause, and Allah knows best, is that the person was first strict with a simple matter, then it increased until he was strict with himself.
and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way
ولن يشاد الدين أحد إلا غلبهSo be straightforward, come close.
فسددوا وقاربواand gain strength by worshipping in the mornings, the afternoons, and during the last hours of the nights.
واستعينوا بالغدوة والروحة وشيء من الدلجةThe questioner : No.
The Shaykh : Why?
The questioner : Because it is rest.
The Shaykh : Because it is a place of rest. Rest yourself. A portion of the night, not the whole night, because traveling all night is difficult. And for this reason, the Prophet (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
Indeed, the one who does not rest does not cut through the land, nor does he preserve his strength.
إن المنبت لا أرضا قطع ، ولا ظهرا أبقىAnd for this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) disapproved of those who wanted to be strict with themselves. Until some of them said: "I will pray and not sleep," and the second said: "I will fast and not break my fast," and the third said: "I will not marry women." So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) delivered a sermon and said:
What has happened to these people that they say so and so, whereas I observe prayer and sleep too; I observe fast and suspend observing them; I marry women also? And he who turns away from my Sunnah, he has no relation with Me
ما بال أقوام يقولون كذا وكذا ، إني أصلي وأنام وأصوم وأفطر وأتزوج النساء ، فمن رغب عن سنتي فليس منيAnd for this reason, the scholars differed on a matter: if the scholars differ, or if the evidences differ, and the evidences conflict in a matter, and the preponderance of one evidence over the other is not clear and they are equal for the person, does he take the stricter one or the easier one?
Some of them said: He takes the stricter one because it is more cautious, and it absolves the conscience. And some of them said: He takes the easier one because it is more in accordance with the objectives of the Shari'ah, and the original state is the absolution of the conscience. And some of the scholars said he is given a choice, and that is because the evidences and meanings are balanced for him.
And the closest to me is that he takes the easier one, because it is in accordance with the Shari'ah, so it is more in accordance with the spirit of the Shari'ah. Yes? Sound?