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 regarding the matter of the weak and the poor, that it is obligatory to be gentle with them, to be kind to them, and to do good to them. He mentioned that Abu Sufyan passed by Salman, Suhayb, and Bilal. These three were all among the mawali (clients). Suhayb was the Roman, Bilal was the Abyssinian, and Salman was the Persian. He passed by them, and they said, "What did you do?" meaning, "What did our swords do to the enemy of Allah?" They meant that they had not avenged themselves for what their masters from Quraysh had done to them, who used to torture and harm them in the religion of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). It was as if Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) rebuked them for that and said, "Do you say such words to the master of Quraysh?!"
Then Abu Bakr informed the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) of that, and he said to him:Sahih Muslim 2504 : meaning, "Have you angered these men, even though they are among the mawali and hold no status among the people or their nobles?" .
This indicates that it is not permissible for a person to be arrogant toward the poor, the needy, or those who have no status in society, because the true value of a person is his value in the sight of Allah, as Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Hujurat 49:13] . And a person should lower his wing to the believers, even if they have no status, because this is what Allah commanded His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) when He said: [Al-Hijr 15:88] .
In this is evidence of the scrupulousness of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and his eagerness to clear his conscience. It is incumbent upon a person, indeed it is obligatory upon him, if he transgresses against someone by word or deed—by taking their money, insulting them, or cursing them—to seek their forgiveness in this world before they take it from him in the Hereafter. For if a person does not take his right in this world, he will take it on the Day of Resurrection, and he will take it from the most noble and most precious thing a person has. He will take it from the good deeds, from the righteous deeds that he is in need of in that place. The Prophet (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) said: , and success is from Allah.
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) stated, in what he quoted regarding the matter of the weak and the poor, that it is obligatory to be gentle with them, to be kind to them, and to do good to them. He mentioned that Abu Sufyan passed by Salman, Suhayb, and Bilal. These three were all among the mawali (clients). Suhayb was the Roman, Bilal was the Abyssinian, and Salman was the Persian. He passed by them, and they said, "What did you do?" meaning, "What did our swords do to the enemy of Allah?" They meant that they had not avenged themselves for what their masters from Quraysh had done to them, who used to torture and harm them in the religion of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). It was as if Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) rebuked them for that and said, "Do you say such words to the master of Quraysh?!"
Then Abu Bakr informed the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) of that, and he said to him:
if you annoyed them you have in fact annoyed your Lord
لئن كنت أغضبتهم لقد أغضبت ربكIf you have angered them, you have certainly angered your Lord. So Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) went to these men and asked them, saying, "Have I angered you?" They said, "No." He said, "O my brothers, have I angered you?" They said, "No. May Allah forgive you, O Abu Bakr."
لئن كنت أغضبتهم لقد أغضبت ربك ، فذهب أبو بكر رضي الله عنه إلى هؤلاء النفر وسألهم قال: آغضبتكم؟ فقالوا: لا، قال: يا إخوتاه، آغضبتكم؟ قالوا: لا، يغفر الله لك يا أبا بكرThis indicates that it is not permissible for a person to be arrogant toward the poor, the needy, or those who have no status in society, because the true value of a person is his value in the sight of Allah, as Allah the Exalted said:
Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you
إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْAnd lower your wing to the believers
وَاخْفِضْ جَنَاحَكَ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَIn this is evidence of the scrupulousness of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and his eagerness to clear his conscience. It is incumbent upon a person, indeed it is obligatory upon him, if he transgresses against someone by word or deed—by taking their money, insulting them, or cursing them—to seek their forgiveness in this world before they take it from him in the Hereafter. For if a person does not take his right in this world, he will take it on the Day of Resurrection, and he will take it from the most noble and most precious thing a person has. He will take it from the good deeds, from the righteous deeds that he is in need of in that place. The Prophet (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) said: