THE TRAVELLER

Safy Eman

‏٧‏ ساعات · 

THE TRAVELLER
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A TOURIST VISITED A SUFI SAINT.
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HE WAS ASTONISHED TO SEE THAT THE SUFI'S HOME WAS A SIMPLE ROOM.
THE ONLY FURNITURE WAS A MAT AND A KEROSENE LAMP.
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TOURIST: "SUFI, WHERE'S YOUR FURNITURE?"
SUFI: "WHERE IS YOURS'"
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TOURIST: "MINE? BUT I'M ONLY A VISITOR HERE."
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SUFI: "SO AM I"

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“LIVE IN THIS WORLD AS A TRAVELLER OR A STRANGER”
ON THE AUTHORITY OF ABDULLAH IBN UMAR (MAY ALLAH BE PLEASED WITH THEM BOTH),

HE RELATES THAT THE PROPHET (PEACE BE UPON HIM) ONCE HELD MY SHOULDERS AND SAID:

“LIVE IN THIS WORLD AS (IF YOU ARE) A WAYFARER OR A STRANGER.”

AND ABDULLAH IBN UMAR (MAY ALLAH BE PLEASED WITH THEM BOTH) USED TO SAY:

“IF YOU LIVE TILL NIGHT, THEN DO NOT WAIT FOR THE NEXT DAY

(I.E. DO NOT HAVE HOPES THAT YOU WILL LIVE TO THE NEXT DAY),

AND IF YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING DO NOT HAVE HOPE THAT YOU WILL LIVE TILL THE NIGHT.

AND TAKE (ADVANTAGE) FROM YOUR HEALTH BEFORE YOUR SICKNESS AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR LIFE BEFORE YOUR DEATH

(I.E. DO EVERY POSSIBLE OBEDIENCE IN YOUR LIFE BEFORE DEATH COMES TO YOU FOR THEN NO DEEDS CAN BE PERFORMED.)”

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[BUKHARI AND TIRMIDHI]
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كتاب الرقاق
TO MAKE THE HEART TENDER (AR-RIQAQ)

CHAPTER 3: "BE IN THIS WORLD AS IF YOU WERE A STRANGER."

باب قَوْلِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ كُنْ فِي الدُّنْيَا كَأَنَّكَ غَرِيبٌ، أَوْ عَابِرُ سَبِيلٍ ‏"
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NARRATED MUJAHID:

`ABDULLAH BIN `UMAR SAID, "ALLAH'S MESSENGER (ﷺ) TOOK HOLD OF MY SHOULDER AND SAID,

'BE IN THIS WORLD AS IF YOU WERE A STRANGER OR A TRAVELER."

THE SUB-NARRATOR ADDED: IBN `UMAR USED TO SAY,

"IF YOU SURVIVE TILL THE EVENING, DO NOT EXPECT TO BE ALIVE IN THE MORNING,

AND IF YOU SURVIVE TILL THE MORNING,

DO NOT EXPECT TO BE ALIVE IN THE EVENING,

AND TAKE FROM YOUR HEALTH FOR YOUR SICKNESS,
AND (TAKE) FROM YOUR LIFE FOR YOUR DEATH."
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حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ أَبُو الْمُنْذِرِ الطُّفَاوِيُّ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ الأَعْمَشِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مُجَاهِدٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ أَخَذَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِمَنْكِبِي فَقَالَ

‏ "‏ كُنْ فِي الدُّنْيَا كَأَنَّكَ غَرِيبٌ، أَوْ عَابِرُ سَبِيلٍ ‏"‏‏.‏ وَكَانَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ يَقُولُ إِذَا أَمْسَيْتَ فَلاَ تَنْتَظِرِ الصَّبَاحَ، وَإِذَا أَصْبَحْتَ فَلاَ تَنْتَظِرِ الْمَسَاءَ، وَخُذْ مِنْ صِحَّتِكَ لِمَرَضِكَ، وَمِنْ حَيَاتِكَ لِمَوْتِكَ‏.‏
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REFERENCE: SAHIH AL-BUKHARI 6416
IN-BOOK REFERENCE: BOOK 81, HADITH 5

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EXPLANATION
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THE SIMILITUDE OF ‘LIVING IN THIS WORLD AS A WAYFARER’ IS LIKE THAT OF A TRAVELLER IN THIS WORLD WHO UNDERTAKES A JOURNEY AND THEN STOPS TO REST UNDER THE SHADE OF A TREE IN A PARTICULAR PLACE.

SO THE TRAVELLER TIES HIS MOUNT, LAYS DOWN HIS LUGGAGE AND RETIRES FOR A MOMENT UNDER THE SHADE IN THE MIDDAY HEAT, RECLINING AGAINST THE TREE.

THEN AFTER HAVING RESTED A WHILE,

HE GATHERS HIS BELONGINGS, UNTIES HIS MOUNT AND RESUMES HIS JOURNEY MOVING AWAY FROM THE TEMPORARY RESTING PLACE, WHERE HE HAD SHELTERED FOR A SHORT TIME.

SUCH IS THE SIMILITUDE OF MAN IN THIS WORLD, WHO RESIDES IN THIS TEMPORARY ABODE OF THE WORLD FOR A SHORT TIME,

AND THEN HE MUST THEREAFTER CONTINUE HIS JOURNEY TOWARDS HIS REAL DESTINATION, WHICH IS THE HEREAFTER.

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Safy Eman
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