The Blessed Person

Sources:

• The Path to Guidance by Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah
• Tayseer al-Kareem by Shaikh as–Sa’dee
•  Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Blessing lies in giving advice and teaching

Ibn al-Qayyim (Rahimahullaah) said: “Allaah is the One I ask and for Whose reply I hope, that He is benevolent to the Muslim in this life and the Hereafter, that He brings about benefit by him and makes him blessed wherever he may be. Verily the blessing of a Muslim lies in his teaching of goodness wherever he may be and his giving advice to every one he meets.” Allaah, the Exalted said, informing about al-Maseeh (i.e., Jesus (‘Alayhissalam)):

“And He made me blessed wherever I may be.” [Surat Maryam 19: 31]

Meaning, ‘A teacher of goodness, a caller to Allaah, one who reminds (others) of Him and who exhorts them to His obedience.’ So this is from the blessing of a man.

Whoever is devoid of these (characteristics) is devoid of blessing and so the blessing of meeting such a person and spending time with him is removed. In fact, the blessing of the one who meets him and spends time with him will also be removed if he should waste time talking about occurrences and events, thus corrupting the heart.

Every harm that enters upon a servant is caused by the heart’s corruption. The corruption of the heart in turn brings about the removal of the heart’s right upon Allaah, the Exalted, and a diminution of its degree and rank in the Sight of Allaah. For this reason, some of the Shaikhs advised with saying, “Be cautious of (the) mixing with a person who will cause wastage of time and corruption of the heart. For verily, when time is wasted and the heart is corrupted, all of the affairs of the servant will become ruined, and he will be of those about whom Allaah, the Exalted said:

“And obey not him whose heart We have made heedless of Our Remembrance, one who follows his own lusts and whose affair has been lost.” [Surat al-Kahf 18: 28]

Whoever reflects upon the nature and the state of creation will find that, except a very small number, all of them are those whose hearts are unmindful of the remembrance of Allaah, the Exalted; those who have followed their desires and whose affairs and well-being have become a ruin. This means that they have neglected what will benefit them and bring about their well-being. They occupy themselves with what does not benefit them; but rather with what brings harm upon them in this life and the next.

It is such people that Allaah, free from all imperfection, ordered His Messenger (salla Allaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam)not to obey. Obedience to the Messenger (salla Allaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam)cannot be perfected unless obedience is denied to such people, because they call only to that which causes difficulties and hardships such as following desires and being heedless of Allaah’s remembrance. When mindlessness (heedlessness) of Allaah’s remembrance and the home of the Hereafter is coupled with following of desires, then every evil is produced thereby and very frequently one of them is found combined with the other.

Whoever contemplates the corruption of the world, both the general and the specific, will find that it emanates from these two principles.

Heedlessness comes between a servant and his conceiving the truth, becoming acquainted with it and having knowledge of it. Therefore, because of this he becomes of those who are astray (‘Dhaal-leen).

Following of desires prevents him from seeking the truth, desiring it and following it. Therefore, he becomes of those with whom Allaah is angry (Maghdoobi ‘alaihim).

As for those who have been favored by Allaah, they are the ones to whom Allaah has been bountiful by granting them the realization of the truth in terms of knowledge, in complying with it and preferring it as a mode of conduct over whatever is besides it. These are the ones who are upon the path of safety and those other than them are on the path of destruction.

For this reason Allaah, free from all imperfection, has ordered that we say numerous times, in the day and the night:

“Guide us on the Straight Way. The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger (such as the Jews), nor of those who went astray (such as the Christians).” [Surat al-Fatihah 1: 7]

 The servant is in the greatest need of being knowledgeable of what will benefit him in this life and the Hereafter that he prefers and chooses what benefits him and avoids what harms him. By both of these things he is guided to the Straight Way.

If the knowledge of this passes him by he will be treading the path of those who are astray. If his desiring it (i.e., the truth) and following it is lost, he will be treading the path of those upon whom is Allaah’s Anger.

By this explanation you will realize the extent and scope of this mighty supplication, the intense need for it and the dependence of the happiness of this life and the Hereafter upon it.”

Shaikh as-Sa’dee (Rahimahullaah) said: “And He made me blessed wherever I may be,” i.e. anywhere and anytime. Allaah made the blessing in him by teaching the good (to others) and calling (others) to it, forbidding the  evil and calling to Allaah in his statements and actions. Whoever sits with him or joins him will receive from his blessing and be happy with his companionship.” [Tayseer al-Kareem]

Ibn Kathir (Rahimahullaah) said concerning the statement “And He has made me blessed wherever I be,” Mujahid, ‘Amr ibn Qays and ath-Thawri all said that this means, “And He made me a teacher of goodness.” In another narration from Mujahid, he said, “A person of great benefit.” [At-Tabari]

 Ibn Jarir reported from Wuhayb ibn al-Ward, a freed slave of the Bani Makhzum tribe, that he said, “A scholar met another scholar who had more knowledge than himself. So he said to him, ‘May Allaah have mercy upon you, what acts of mine should I perform openly?’ The other replied, ‘Commanding good and forbidding evil, for verily, it is the religion of Allaah, which He sent His Prophets with to His servants.’ The scholars have indeed agreed upon the statement of Allaah, “And He has made me blessed wherever I be.” Then it was said, ‘What was his blessing?’ He (Wuhayb) replied, ‘Commanding good and forbidding evil wherever he was.’” [At-Tabari]