Explanation of the words of Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) regarding what he quoted: "
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The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) stated, in what he quoted from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: meaning the prohibitions of Allah.
Jealousy is a real attribute established for Allah (Mighty and Majestic), but it is not like our jealousy; rather, it is greater and more noble. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), by His wisdom, made certain things obligatory for the servants, forbade certain things, and permitted certain things. What He made obligatory is good for them in their religion and their worldly life, in their present and their future. And what He forbade is evil for them in their religion and their worldly life, in their present and their future. So when Allah forbids certain things for His servants, He is jealous (Mighty and Majestic) that a person should commit His prohibitions. How does a person commit the prohibitions of his Lord? Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) only forbade them for the benefit of the servant. As for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), it does not harm Him if a person disobeys his Lord, but He is jealous. How does a person know, or rather how does he know, that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) is Wise and Merciful, and does not forbid anything for His servants except for their benefit? But then the servant comes forward and disobeys Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
Especially regarding fornication, may Allah protect us from it. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Muwatta Malik 12:1 because fornication is a heinous act. Fornication is a low and bad path. Therefore, Allah forbade fornication and all its means for His servants, as He said: [Al-Isra 17:32] So if the servant commits fornication, may Allah protect us from it, then Allah is more jealous and His jealousy is greater than His jealousy regarding the prohibitions below it.
Likewise, and even more so and more severely, is sodomy, may Allah protect us from it, i.e., approaching males. This is greater and more severe. For this reason, Allah the Exalted made it more heinous than fornication. Lot said to his people:[Al-A'raf 7:80] “the heinous act.” And regarding fornication, he said: [An-Nisa 4:22] meaning a heinous act among heinous acts. As for sodomy, he made it the greatest heinous act, may Allah protect us from it. Likewise, theft, drinking intoxicants, and all prohibitions: Allah is jealous of them, but some involve a greater degree of jealousy than others, according to the crime and according to the harms that result from it.
In this hadith, there is the affirmation of jealousy for Allah. The path of the people of the Sunnah and the community in this, and in other hadiths of attributes and verses of attributes, is that they affirm them for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) in a manner befitting Him. They say that Allah is jealous, but it is not like the jealousy of the created. And that Allah the Exalted is pleased, but it is not like the pleasure of the created. And that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has perfect attributes that befit Him, and they do not resemble the attributes of the created. And success is from Allah.
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) stated, in what he quoted from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Indeed, Allah is jealous, and His jealousy is that a man should commit His prohibitions.
إن الله يغار وغيرته أن يأتي الرجل محارمهJealousy is a real attribute established for Allah (Mighty and Majestic), but it is not like our jealousy; rather, it is greater and more noble. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), by His wisdom, made certain things obligatory for the servants, forbade certain things, and permitted certain things. What He made obligatory is good for them in their religion and their worldly life, in their present and their future. And what He forbade is evil for them in their religion and their worldly life, in their present and their future. So when Allah forbids certain things for His servants, He is jealous (Mighty and Majestic) that a person should commit His prohibitions. How does a person commit the prohibitions of his Lord? Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) only forbade them for the benefit of the servant. As for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), it does not harm Him if a person disobeys his Lord, but He is jealous. How does a person know, or rather how does he know, that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) is Wise and Merciful, and does not forbid anything for His servants except for their benefit? But then the servant comes forward and disobeys Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
Especially regarding fornication, may Allah protect us from it. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
there is no-one more jealous than Allah of a male or female slave of his who commits adultery
ما من أحد أغير من الله أن يزني عبده أو تزني أمتهAnd do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse. Indeed, it is ever an immorality and is evil as a way.
ولا تقربوا الزنا إنه كان فاحشة وساء سبيلاLikewise, and even more so and more severely, is sodomy, may Allah protect us from it, i.e., approaching males. This is greater and more severe. For this reason, Allah the Exalted made it more heinous than fornication. Lot said to his people:
Do you commit such immorality as no one has preceded you with from among the worlds?
أتأتون الفاحشة ما سبقكم بها من أحد من العالمينIndeed, it was an immorality
إنه كان فاحشةIn this hadith, there is the affirmation of jealousy for Allah. The path of the people of the Sunnah and the community in this, and in other hadiths of attributes and verses of attributes, is that they affirm them for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) in a manner befitting Him. They say that Allah is jealous, but it is not like the jealousy of the created. And that Allah the Exalted is pleased, but it is not like the pleasure of the created. And that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has perfect attributes that befit Him, and they do not resemble the attributes of the created. And success is from Allah.