Explanation of the words of Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) regarding what he quoted: "

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The Shaykh : We have previously discussed the beginning of this hadith until we reached the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)

and when you seek aid, seek Allah's aid

وإذا استعنت فاستعن بالله

Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2516Hasan (Darussalam)

He said,

Know that if the entire creation were to gather together to do something to benefit you- you would never get any benefit except that Allah had written for you.

واعلم أن الأمة لو اجتمعت على أن ينفعوك بشيء لم ينفعوك إلا بشيء قد كتبه الله لك

Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2516Hasan (Darussalam)

So if they bring you any benefit, know that it is from Allah, because He is the One who wrote it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not say, “If they were to gather to benefit you with something, they would not benefit you,” but rather he said,

you would never get any benefit except that Allah had written for you

لم ينفعوك إلا بشيء قد كتبه الله لك

Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2516Hasan (Darussalam)

People undoubtedly benefit one another, help one another, and assist one another, but all of this is what Allah has written for the person. The merit in it belongs to Allah the Exalted first; He is the One who has subjected for you those who benefit you, do you good, and remove your distress. And likewise, the reverse is true:

And if they were to gather to do something to harm you- you would never be harmed except that Allah had written for you.

لو اجتمعوا على أن يضروك بشيء لم يضروك إلا بشيء قد كتبه الله عليك

Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2516Hasan (Darussalam)

And thus, he places his hope in Allah and holds fast to Him, and he does not care about creation even if they were to gather against him. For this reason, we find that the people of the Salaf of this community, when they relied upon Allah and placed their trust in Him, the plotting of the plotters and the envy of the envious did not harm them.

And if you are patient and fear Allah, their plot will not harm you at all. Indeed, Allah is encompassing of what they do.

وإن تصبروا وتتقوا لا يضركم كيدهم شيئا إن الله بما يعملون محيط

[Ali 'Imran 3:120]

Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said,

The pens are lifted and the pages are dried.

رفعت الأقلام وجفت الصحف

Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2516Hasan (Darussalam)

what has come to you could not miss you

فما أصابك لم يكن ليخطئك

Sunan Abi Dawud 4699Sahih (Al-Albani)

As in the second wording,

and that what has missed you could not come to you

وما أخطأك لم يكن ليصيبك

Sunan Abi Dawud 4699Sahih (Al-Albani)

In the second wording, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said,

And know that victory is with patience, and that relief is with distress, and that with hardship there is ease.

واعلم أن النصر مع الصبر وأن الفرج مع الكرب وأن مع العسر يسرا

meaning, know with certainty that victory comes with patience. So if you are patient and do what Allah has commanded you of the means of victory, then Allah the Exalted will grant you victory. Patience here includes patience in obeying Allah, patience against His disobedience, and patience with His painful decrees, because the enemy strikes a person from every direction. A person may feel that he will not be able to withstand his enemy, so he regrets and abandons jihad. Or he may begin jihad, but when he is afflicted with harm, he regrets and stops. Or he may continue, but he is struck with pain from his enemy; this too is something he must be patient with. Allah the Exalted said,

If a wound should touch you - there has already touched the [opposing] people a wound similar to it

إن يمسسكم قرح فقد مس القوم قرح مثله

[Ali 'Imran 3:140]

And He the Exalted said,

And do not weaken in pursuit of the enemy. If you should be suffering - so are they suffering as you are suffering, but you expect from Allah that which they expect not. And Allah is ever Knowing and Wise.

ولا تهنوا في ابتغاء القوم إن تكونوا تألمون فإنهم يألمون كما تألمون وترجون من الله ما لا يرجون وكان الله عليما حكيما

[An-Nisa 4:104]

So if a person is patient, endures, and stands firm, then Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, will grant him victory. And know that relief comes with distress. Whenever matters become tight and constricted, relief is near, because Allah the Mighty and Majestic says in His Book,

Is He [not best] who responds to the desperate one when he calls upon Him and removes evil and makes you inheritors of the earth? Is there a deity with Allah? Little do you remember.

أمّن يجيب المضطر إذا دعاه ويكشف السوء ويجعلكم خلفاء الأرض أأله مع الله قليلا ما تذكرون

[An-Naml 27:62]

So whenever matters become severe, wait for relief from Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He.

and with hardship, ease

وأن مع العسر يسرا

For every hardship, there is ease following it. In fact, the hardship is flanked by two eases: a preceding ease and a following ease. Allah the Exalted said,

⁽⁵⁾ For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. ⁽⁶⁾ Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.

فإن مع العسر يسرا إن مع العسر يسرا

[Ash-Sharh 94:5-6]

And Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “No hardship can overcome two eases”. This is the hadith in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) advised Abdullah ibn Abbas; a person should always be mindful of it and rely upon these beneficial advices with which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) advised his cousin, Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him). And success is from Allah.

Source alathar.net

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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