American Muslim
Just Another Slave
The following is taken from Forty Noble Sermons, selected by Abu Nasr Muhammad Ibn Wad'an (D. 594 H. - 1197 CE)
Abu Hurairah (Radiya Allahu 'anhu) said, One day while the Prophet (Salla Allahu 'alaihi wa-sallam) was sitting around, he started laughing. He was asked, What makes you laugh, O Messenger of Allah?
He said: "Two men of my Ummah knelt down in front of my Lord, The Exalted, and one of them said, 'My Lord! Restore for me my rights from my brother.'
Allah Ta'ala said, 'Give your brother back his rights.'
He said, 'O Lord! Nothing is left of my good deeds.'
The complainer, 'Lord! Let him carry some of my sins.'
At that moment, the Prophet's eyes overflowed with tears, then he said, 'Indeed, that day is an awesome day where people need their sins to be carried for them.' Then he said, 'Allah Ta'ala said to the complainer, 'Raise your head up and look at the gardens!'
And he raised his head up, and saw what overwhelmed him of goods and grace, and he said, 'Lord! For whom is all this?'
The Lord, 'For whoever pays Me its price.'
The complainer, 'Lord! Who has that (price)?'
The Lord, 'You.'
The complainer, 'With what?'
The Lord, 'With your forgiveness of your brother.'
The complainer, 'Lord! I forgive him.'
The Lord, 'Hold the hand of your brother and enter Paradise both of you.'
Then, the Prophet recited, (Keep your duty to Allah, and adjust the matter of your difference)
WHOEVER FORGIVES AND MAKES RECONCILLIATION, HIS REWARD IS DUE FROM ALLAH (ash-Shura 42/40)
As Umm Aisha reminded us yesterday, forgiveness of others is really a gift to ourselves.
Abu Hurairah (Radiya Allahu 'anhu) said, One day while the Prophet (Salla Allahu 'alaihi wa-sallam) was sitting around, he started laughing. He was asked, What makes you laugh, O Messenger of Allah?
He said: "Two men of my Ummah knelt down in front of my Lord, The Exalted, and one of them said, 'My Lord! Restore for me my rights from my brother.'
Allah Ta'ala said, 'Give your brother back his rights.'
He said, 'O Lord! Nothing is left of my good deeds.'
The complainer, 'Lord! Let him carry some of my sins.'
At that moment, the Prophet's eyes overflowed with tears, then he said, 'Indeed, that day is an awesome day where people need their sins to be carried for them.' Then he said, 'Allah Ta'ala said to the complainer, 'Raise your head up and look at the gardens!'
And he raised his head up, and saw what overwhelmed him of goods and grace, and he said, 'Lord! For whom is all this?'
The Lord, 'For whoever pays Me its price.'
The complainer, 'Lord! Who has that (price)?'
The Lord, 'You.'
The complainer, 'With what?'
The Lord, 'With your forgiveness of your brother.'
The complainer, 'Lord! I forgive him.'
The Lord, 'Hold the hand of your brother and enter Paradise both of you.'
Then, the Prophet recited, (Keep your duty to Allah, and adjust the matter of your difference)
WHOEVER FORGIVES AND MAKES RECONCILLIATION, HIS REWARD IS DUE FROM ALLAH (ash-Shura 42/40)
As Umm Aisha reminded us yesterday, forgiveness of others is really a gift to ourselves.