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 Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), who was one of those who served the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), attending to his pillow and his miswak (may Allah be pleased with him). So he prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) one night, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood and prolonged the standing. It has been mentioned previously from the hadith of Aisha that he his feet would sometimes crack and sometimes swell from the length of the standing.
And it is authentic from the hadith of Hudhayfah that he recited three long surahs in one rak'ah: al-Baqarah, al-Nisa, and Aal 'Imran.
Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed with him one night, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prolonged the standing. He was on the verge of a bad thing, meaning a thing that a person does not like to do, meaning, sitting down and leaving him standing, because Ibn Mas'ud was tired and exhausted, even though he was young. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not get tired, because he (peace and blessings be upon him) was the most devoted of people in worship to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and the most God-fearing of them.
In this is evidence that it is from the Sunnah for a person to stand in the night and prolong the standing, and that if he does so, he is following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). But know that if you prolong the standing, then the Sunnah is to prolong the bowing, the prostration, the sitting between the two prostrations, and the standing after the bowing. For it was the custom of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), indeed it was the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), that he would make his prayer proportional: if he prolonged the standing, he prolonged the rest of the pillars, and if he lightened the standing, he lightened the rest of the pillars. This is the Sunnah.
Then the author mentioned the hadith of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) spoke the truth. When a person dies, the mourners follow him, and his family follows him, seeing him off to the graveyard. How deceptive is the life of this world, how base it is, and how lowly it is! The one who is dearest to you is the one who handles your burial; they bury you, distancing you from them. If they were paid a wage to keep your body among them, they would not be pleased with that. The people closest to you, and those to whom you are dearest, are the ones who handle your burial, following you and seeing you off. And his wealth follows him; his wealth means his servants, his slaves, his male slaves. This represents the rich man, the rich man who has servants and slaves; they follow him. And his deeds follow him with him. So two of them return and leave him alone, but his deeds remain with him. We ask Allah to make our deeds and yours righteous, so that his deeds remain with him, being his companion in his grave, he is alone with them until the Day of Resurrection.
And in this hadith is evidence that the world, all the adornment of the world, returns and does not remain with you in your grave. Wealth and children, the adornment of the life of this world, all of it returns. As for what remains, it is the deed. So you, my brother, you must strive to take care of this companion that remains and does not depart with those who depart. You must strive hard so that your deed is a righteous deed that comforts you in your grave when you are alone with it, separated from loved ones, family, and children.
And the connection of this chapter to this hadith is apparent, because the abundance of deeds necessitates struggling against the self. For a person struggles against his self regarding the righteous deeds that remain after his death. We ask Allah for you and for us a good ending and a good outcome, and that He may take care of us and you with His care. Indeed, He is Generous and Noble.
The reader: The Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. The author quoted
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) stated, in what he quoted from Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), who was one of those who served the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), attending to his pillow and his miswak (may Allah be pleased with him). So he prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) one night, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood and prolonged the standing. It has been mentioned previously from the hadith of Aisha that he
He would stand until his feet would crack or until they would swell.
كان يقوم حتى تتفطر قدماه أو حتى تتورمAnd it is authentic from the hadith of Hudhayfah that he recited three long surahs in one rak'ah: al-Baqarah, al-Nisa, and Aal 'Imran.
Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed with him one night, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prolonged the standing. He was on the verge of a bad thing, meaning a thing that a person does not like to do,
They said: What were you on the verge of, O Abu 'Abd al-Rahman? He said: I was on the verge of sitting down and leaving him.
قالوا بم هممت يا أبا عبدالرحمن قال هممت أن أجلس وأدعهIn this is evidence that it is from the Sunnah for a person to stand in the night and prolong the standing, and that if he does so, he is following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). But know that if you prolong the standing, then the Sunnah is to prolong the bowing, the prostration, the sitting between the two prostrations, and the standing after the bowing. For it was the custom of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), indeed it was the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), that he would make his prayer proportional: if he prolonged the standing, he prolonged the rest of the pillars, and if he lightened the standing, he lightened the rest of the pillars. This is the Sunnah.
Then the author mentioned the hadith of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Three things follow the dead man: his wealth, his family, and his deeds. Two of them return and one remains.
يتبع الميت ثلاثة ماله وأهله وعمله فيرجع اثنان ويبقى واحدAnd in this hadith is evidence that the world, all the adornment of the world, returns and does not remain with you in your grave. Wealth and children, the adornment of the life of this world, all of it returns. As for what remains, it is the deed. So you, my brother, you must strive to take care of this companion that remains and does not depart with those who depart. You must strive hard so that your deed is a righteous deed that comforts you in your grave when you are alone with it, separated from loved ones, family, and children.
And the connection of this chapter to this hadith is apparent, because the abundance of deeds necessitates struggling against the self. For a person struggles against his self regarding the righteous deeds that remain after his death. We ask Allah for you and for us a good ending and a good outcome, and that He may take care of us and you with His care. Indeed, He is Generous and Noble.
The reader: The Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. The author quoted