Seeking Pleasure

28. SEEKING THE PROPHET’S PLEASURE

The Sahaba strove hard to avoid the Glorious Prophet of Islam (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam)’s displeasure.

On one ocassion, somebody abused one of the forefathers of Sayyiduna Abbas. When the Beloved Habbeb (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) came to know this, he said: “Abbas belongs to me and I belong to Abbas. Don’t abuse our deceased as it may displease their living descendants.” The Sahaba said: “We are afraid of your anger. Pray for us.” 1

1 Nisai

2 Abu Da’ood

Once, somebody enquired from Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) about his fast. The Holy Prophet (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) got annoyed. Sayyiduna Omar saw his anger and said: “We have believed in Allah as our Creator and Sustainer and Islam as our religion and Muhammad as our Glorious Prophet of Islam (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam). We seek Allah’s refuge against the Wrath of Allah and His Messenger.” Sayyiduna Omar kept on repeating this till the Beloved Habbeb (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam)’s anger subsided. 2

The Sahaba adopted all measures to appease Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) in case he got annoyed with someone. When the Glorious Prophet of Islam (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) took a pledge to keep away from his wives, the Sahaba became very much upset. Sayyiduna Omar tried to make the Holy Prophet (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) happy and went to his house. The watchman overlooked Sayyiduna Omar. Sayyiduna Omar said to him: “I have not come here to win favour for my daughter Hafsah. If the Holy Prophet (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) orders me, I will behead her.” Sayyiduna Abu Bakr had got the news of the Beloved Habbeb (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam)’s anger. When Sayyiduna Omar came, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr said: “If my wife demands expenditure of her sustenance, I will break her neck.” The Glorious Prophet of Islam (Sallallhu Alaihi 2 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

Wassallam) laughed at this sentence and pointing at his wives said: “They are demanding from me their sustenance.”

Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Omar stood up to punish Sayyidah Ayesha and Sayyidah Hafsah and said to them: “You are demanding from the Messenger of Allah a thing which he does not possess”. 3

3 Muslim

4 Bukhari

Once the Holy Prophet (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) got annoyed with Sayyiduna Ka’b Bin Maalik and stopped talking to him. He also directed other Sahaba to boycott him. The Sahaba were very much concerned to persuade Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) in favour of Sayyiduna Ka’b. The Glorious Prophet of Islam (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) used to sit in his Mosque for some time after the Salaah. Sayyiduna Ka’b used to come to the Mosque and greeted the Beloved Habbeb (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) and keenly observed whether the Holy Prophet (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam)’s lips moved in reply to his greetings. Then he used to pray very close to the Holy Prophet (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) and watched eagerly the movements of the Glorious Prophet of Islam (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) (with a hope of forgiveness). 4

When the Beloved Habbeb (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) set out for the Farewell Pilgrimage, all his wives accompanied him. Incidentally, the camel of Sayyidah Safiyah got tired and sat on the ground. She started crying. When Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) came to know, he came over there and wiped off her tears with his hands. She went on crying despite the Holy Prophet (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam)’s repeated requests. The Glorious Prophet of Islam (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) got angry and ordered the Sahaba to stop over there. His tent was erected at a suitable place. Sayyidah Safiyah thought that the Holy Prophet (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) had got annoyed with her. She decided to appease him. She went to Sayyidah Ayesha and said: “You know that I can never surrender to anyone my turn of entertaining Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallhu Alaihi 3 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

Wassallam). But I can give my turn to you if you help me in winning his favour.” Sayyidah Ayesha agreed and wrapped herself in a saffron colour shawl and sprinkled a little water on it so that the fragrance of the perfume in her shawl may spread. Then she put on her ornaments and went to the tent of the Beloved Habbeb (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam). He said: “Ayesha, this is not your day.” She said: “This is the Blessing of Allah which He bestows upon anyone He wills”. 5

5 Musnad Ibne-Hambal, Vol. 6, p.338

6 Abu Da’ood

The Glorious Prophet of Islam (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) never expressed his displeasure openly. The Sahaba could make out his mood from his facial expressions and tried their level best to make him happy.

On one ocassion, the Holy Prophet (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) was going to some place when he saw a huge tent. He asked whose tent it was. People said the tent belonged to one Ansaari. Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) disliked the pomp and show of his companion but did not openly express his dislike. After some time, the Ansaari companion came over there and greeted the Glorious Prophet of Islam (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam). But the Beloved Habbeb (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) did not answer him and turned his face to the opposite direction. The companion repeatedly greeted the Holy Prophet (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam). Finally, he approached other Sahaba and wanted to know the reason of the Holy Prophet (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam)’s annoyance. When he came to know the reason, he immediately razed his ten to the ground. 6

The pleasure of the Holy Prophet (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) was the greatest asset of the Sahaba. Once the Holy Prophet (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) was travelling to some place. The she-camel of Sayyiduna Abu Reham Ghifari was walking very close to the camel of the Glorious Prophet of Islam (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam). Sayyiduna Reham was wearing shoes of hard leather, which by chance caused a scratch in the leg of the Beloved Habbeb (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam). He whipped him and said: “Take your foot away, you 4 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

have injured me.” Sayyiduna Abu Reham feared lest Allah reveals a verse admonishing him.

The Caravan reached the place called Ja’ranah. It was not Abu Reham’s turn to graze the animals, yet with the fear of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam)’s call, he set out to desert to graze the camels. When he returned in the evening, he came to know that the Holy Prophet (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) had sent for him. He went to his court very impatiently. The Holy Prophet (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) said to him: “You had hurt me, and I also hurt you with my whip. Take these goats in compensation.” Sayyiduna Abu Reham says: “This gesture of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) was dearest to me more than the most valuable things in the world and the Hereafter.” 7

7 Tabqaat