Man Is Essence Rather
Than Appearance
The most fundamental aspects of this Fiqh is stressing the importance of
essence, reality and heart rather than external manifestations.
Hence, the Glorious Quran rejected the Bedonin's pretentious faith which
was uttered by the tongue but did not reach the heart and without any living
evidence of it in action or striving in the Way of Allah. In this respect,
Allah says:
"The desert Arab say: "We believe." Say "Ye have no faith; but ye
(Only)
say, `We have submitted our wills to Allah,' For not yet has faith entered
Your hearts. But if ye obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not belittle
aught of your deeds: for Allah is Oft- Forgiving, Most Merciful. Only those
are believers who have believed in Allah and His Messenger, and have never
since doubted, but have striven with their belongings and their persons
in the Cause of Allah: such are the sincere ones!"
(49:14-15)
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
`Beware! There
is a piece of flesh in the body if it becomes good (reformed)
the whole body becomes good, but if it becomes spoiled, the whole body
becomes spoiled, that is the heart," [Note:
Agreed upon on the authority of
Al -Nu' man Ibn Basir]
And,
"Allah does not care about your looks or fortunes, He cares about your
hearts and deeds." [Note: Reported by Muslim on the authority
of Abu Hurairah]
Thus, the real value of man does not rest upon him having a huge body,
from noble descent, an eminent appearance, fame and influence. True value,
according to Allah, rests upon the level of faith in the heart and this
faith is expressed in deeds rather than words which are carried out sincerely.
In short, their real value lies in piety for Allah says:
"Verily, the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he
who is) the most righteous of you." (49:13)
Allah, the Exalted criticizes the hypocrites saying: "And
when thou lookest at them, their bodies please thee." (63:4)
There is also a hadith emphasizing this, One day Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud climbed
a tree and his thin legs were seen by some of the Companions who were standing
under the tree. His legs were so thin that it made them burst into laughter
and the Prophet (Peace be upon him) exclaimed:
"Do you dare to mock him because of his skinny legs:
By Allah in Whose Hands my soul rests, these two thin legs are heavier
in Allah's Scale than the mountain of Uhud!" [Note:
See Majma' Al-zawa `id, narration of `All, Ibn Masu'd and Qurab Ibn lyas,
vol. 9, No.288, 289]
Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet said:
"On the Day of Resurrection, a huge fat man will come who will not weigh
the weight of the wing of a mosquito in Allah's sight". [Note:
Reported by Al-Bnkhari and
Muslim, Al-Lu'lu' Wal Marjan, No. 1773]
Sahl Ibn Sa'd reported
that:
"One day, a man passed by the Prophet (Peace be upon him), Allah's
Prophet asked one of his Companions "what is your opinion of this man"
He replied, "If he asks for a lady's hand in marriage, then he ought to
be given her in marriage; and if he intercedes
(for someone) then his intercession should
be accepted". Allah's Prophet (Peace be upon him) kept
silent and then a poor Muslim passed by, and Allah's Prophet (Peace
be upon him) asked his Companion again "What is your
opinion of this man?" He replied "If he asks for a lady's hand in marriage,
then he does not deserve to be married to her, and if he intercedes (for
someone), then his intercession should not be accepted,
and if he speaks, he should not be listened to." Allab's Prophet
(Peace be upon him) said "This poor man is better
than so many of the first as filling the earth. [Note:
Reported by Al-Bukhari]
Mus'ab Ibn Sa'd said:
Once Sa'd Ibn Abi Waqqas (May Allah be pleased with
him) thought that he was superior to those who were below him in rank.
On that, the Prophet said: "You only gain victory
and livelihood through the blessings and invocations of the poor amongst
you." [Note:
This hadith indicates a very important social issue that is the lower classes
of farmers, laborers and craftsmen are the factors of victory in war and
production in peaceful periods. This is what can be understood from the
Prophet's saying "You only gain victory and livelihood
". This hadith is reported by Al-Bukhari, Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr
Al-Barqani
in his Sahih, and Al-Nasa'i.]
In the narration of Al-Nasa'i, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
"This Nation
gains victory through invocations, Prayers and devotion of the poor."
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