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 Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) in the chapter on striving, and it has been mentioned to us previously that among the forms of striving is a person’s striving against his own self and compelling it to worship Allah and to be patient with that. The author (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her)
She (may Allah be pleased with her), Aisha, is among the most knowledgeable people regarding the condition of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in what he does in private, meaning in his home. Likewise, his wives (may Allah be pleased with them) are the most knowledgeable people about what he does in his home. For this reason, the senior Companions would come to the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to ask them about what he did in his home. He would stand in the night, meaning in prayer, performing tahajjud. And Allah the Exalted said in Surat al-Muzzammil:[Al-Muzzammil 73:20] Meaning, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would sometimes stand for more than half the night, sometimes for half the night, and sometimes for a third of the night, because he (peace and blessings be upon him) gave his self its right of rest while fully fulfilling the worship of his Lord (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him). So he would stand for less than two-thirds of the night, meaning more than half and less than two-thirds, according to his energy (peace and blessings be upon him). And he would stand until his feet would swell and crack from the length of standing, the blood would congeal in them and they would split. Young men from the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) stood with him, but they became exhausted. So Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: He sat down, unable to be patient as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was patient. And Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) The total was five and a quarter parts, approximately five and a quarter parts. And Hudhayfah said: And he (peace and blessings be upon him) was known for reciting the Qur'an in a measured, rhythmic manner. Five and a quarter parts, with asking for mercy at the verse of mercy, seeking refuge at the verse of warning, and glorifying Allah at the verse of glorification. How long the standing would be! The standing would be long. And so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would recite in the night, and if he lengthened the recitation, he would also lengthen the bowing or the prostration. So he would lengthen the recitation, the bowing, and the prostration. And if you imagine that he would stand, for example, in winter, when the nights are twelve hours long, and he would stand for less than two-thirds of the night, let us say he stood for seven hours. Seven hours, and he is praying (peace and blessings be upon him) in the long night. Imagine what his condition would be (peace and blessings be upon him). And despite this, he restrained his self and strove against it, and he said: Sahih al-Bukhari 4837
And in this is evidence that gratitude is fulfilling the obedience of Allah, and that the more a person increases in the obedience of his Lord (Mighty and Majestic), the more he increases in gratitude to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). And gratitude is not that a person says with his tongue, “I thank Allah, I praise Allah.” This is gratitude with the tongue. But the discussion is about actual gratitude, which is done by action: a person performs the obedience of Allah to the extent he is able.
And in this is evidence that Allah has forgiven the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) his past and future sins. Everything that preceded of his sins, Allah has forgiven him, and everything that followed, Allah has forgiven him. And everything that followed, Allah has forgiven him. And he left the world (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) safe from every sin, because it was forgiven for him.
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) stated, in what he quoted from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) in the chapter on striving, and it has been mentioned to us previously that among the forms of striving is a person’s striving against his own self and compelling it to worship Allah and to be patient with that. The author (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her)
That the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would stand in the night until his feet would crack. So I said: “O Messenger of Allah, why do you do that when Allah has forgiven you your past and future sins?” He said: “Should I not love to be a grateful servant?”
أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يقوم من الليل حتى تتفطر قدماه فقلت يا رسول الله لم تصنع ذلك وقد غفر الله لك ما تقدم من ذنبك وما تأخر فقال أفلا أحب أن أكون عبدا شكوراShe (may Allah be pleased with her), Aisha, is among the most knowledgeable people regarding the condition of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in what he does in private, meaning in his home. Likewise, his wives (may Allah be pleased with them) are the most knowledgeable people about what he does in his home. For this reason, the senior Companions would come to the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to ask them about what he did in his home. He would stand in the night, meaning in prayer, performing tahajjud. And Allah the Exalted said in Surat al-Muzzammil:
Indeed, your Lord knows, [O Muhammad], that you stand [in prayer] almost two thirds of the night or half of it or a third of it, and [so do] a group of those with you
إن ربك يعلم أنك تقوم أدنى من ثلثي الليل ونصفه وثلثه وطائفة من الذين معكAnd half of it and a third of it
ونصفه وثلثهI prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) one night, and he stood for a long time until I was about to do something bad. They said: “What were you about to do, O Abu 'Abd al-Rahman?” He said: “I was about to sit down and leave him.”
صليت مع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ذات ليلة فقام طويلا حتى هممت بأمر سوء قالوا بماذا هممت يا أبا عبدالرحمن قال هممت أن أقعد وأدعهHe stood with him one night, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recited al-Baqarah, al-Nisa, and Aal 'Imran.
قام معه ذات ليلة فقرأ النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم البقرة والنساء وآل عمرانWhenever he came to a verse of mercy, he asked for mercy, and whenever he came to a verse of glorification, he glorified Allah, and whenever he came to a verse of warning, he sought refuge.
كلما أتى آية رحمة سأل وكلما أتى آية تسبيح سبح وكلما أتى آية وعيد تعوذShouldn't I love to be a thankful slave (of Allah)?
أفلا أحب أن أكون عبدا شكوراAnd in this is evidence that gratitude is fulfilling the obedience of Allah, and that the more a person increases in the obedience of his Lord (Mighty and Majestic), the more he increases in gratitude to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). And gratitude is not that a person says with his tongue, “I thank Allah, I praise Allah.” This is gratitude with the tongue. But the discussion is about actual gratitude, which is done by action: a person performs the obedience of Allah to the extent he is able.
And in this is evidence that Allah has forgiven the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) his past and future sins. Everything that preceded of his sins, Allah has forgiven him, and everything that followed, Allah has forgiven him. And everything that followed, Allah has forgiven him. And he left the world (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) safe from every sin, because it was forgiven for him.