127 - Some good deeds, part 3

1. The Prophet mentions seven types of believers who deserve to be given God’s shade on the Day of Judgement, when there is no shade or anything to protect anyone from the sun, which will draw near to people. 

This does not literally mean that they will be in God’s own shade, because this would mean that the sun would be above God, and this is not possible. What is meant is that God will create for them something to give them shade, or that they will be granted mercy, security, and comfort by God. In this latter sense, the phrase ‘God’s shade’ gives the shade a superior meaning.[1]

The mention of these seven types is not exclusive. There are several hadiths stating that other people are given God’s shade on the Day of Judgement. One such hadith quotes the Prophet: ‘Whoever gives an insolvent debtor time [for repayment] or foregoes his debt, God will place him in His shade’.[2]

2. The first of these seven types is a ‘just ruler’. He is the one who deals justly with the people under his rule. This type includes the overall ruler, his deputies or representatives in provinces and other officials including junior ones. It also includes judges who administer justice, and the head of a family who looks well after its other members and is fair to them all. 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentions the just ruler first because he deserves that. On the Day of Judgement, He is the closest of people to God. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Those who are just shall be with God, sitting on platforms of light to the right of the Lord of Grace, Mighty and Exalted. Both his hands are right hands. These are the ones who are just in their judgements and families and whatever they are in charge of’[3]. This is because a just ruler disobeys his own desire, resists his feelings of injustice which are prompted by desire, greed, anger, etc. although he can easily do as he wishes. A just ruler is one who has been invited by the whole world to satisfy his own desires, but he declined the offer, saying that he feared God, the Lord of all the worlds. As such, he gives the greatest benefit to people. When he is on the right track, the whole population are well and healthy.

3. The next type is that of a young man who is brought up preferring the line of obeying God. Youth and young men are particularly mentioned in this context, because they are at a stage of life when desire is strong, and the temptation to commit sin is powerful. Such a person has the physical strength and good appearance which prompt self-indulgence. An old man, by contrast, sees signs of weakness and perceives that death is not far away. Hence, he is motivated to attend to worship and steer away from sin. Therefore, when a young man resists the temptation and turns to God’s worship in obedience, he achieves this grade. Hence the Prophet says: ‘God is pleased with a young man who betrays no sensual desire’. [4]

4. The third type is that of a person whose heart is full of love for God’s houses of worship. He leaves unwillingly and when he leaves, he is eager to return. This occurs only to one who is in control of his emotions, leading himself to do what pleases God. This love of mosques now fills his heart. As such, he no longer has a place in his heart for places of fun and desire, whether permissible or forbidden, or for places of business and earning money. Only a person who disobeys his own inclinations, giving preference to earning God’s love limits his love to places of worship.

5. Next are those people who love one another for God’s sake. They are not brought together by any worldly interest, or agreement to commit some sinful action, or even by family connections, or by a social bond. Only obedience of God brings them together, and they get to love each other and strengthen this bond of brotherhood in faith. Their only motive for loving or hating a particular person is the bond of association or dissociation for God’s sake. They love and befriend everyone who loves God and hate everyone who dislikes God and His faith, dissociating themselves from him, even though he may be their very close relative.

6. Another type is that of a man who is tempted by a rich woman of good social standing to have sex with her, but he reminds himself of God, turns away and says: ‘I fear God’. The Prophet mentions a woman who combines beauty with high social standing, because when these two meets, the temptation is greater. Added to this is the fact that in this case the woman is willing, which means that the man need not solicit her. To abstain when the temptation is so strong confirms that the man places fear of God ahead of personal desire. To such a person applies the verses that say:

The best example of this situation is what happened to Prophet Joseph (peace be upon him). 

7. The sixth type is that of a person who gives some charity, but keeps it secret from all others, including his closest relatives. The Prophet (peace be upon him) describes such secrecy by saying that the person concerned does not allow his left hand to know what his right hand does. Keeping one’s charity private is recommended because the action remains sincere, free of any pretension. Hence,

Most scholars are of the view that this applies to voluntary charity. As for the obligatory zakat and other mandatory spending, it is better to make them public so that people will be encouraged to fulfil their duties. 

8. The last of the seven types granted shade by God on the Day of Judgement is that of a person who remembers God in private, when he is alone, away from people’s eyes and ears. He remembers God and how He punishes those who are disobedient and the great reward He grants to devout worshippers, and his eyes become tearful. He weeps out of his love of God and his fear of incurring His displeasure. The Prophet mentions that this weeping is in private when the man is alone. His feelings and emotions are then sincere, free from any hypocrisy. Both his love of God and his fearing Him are genuine and sincere.  

1. A Muslim should endeavor to acquire all or most of these characteristics to ensure safety from God’s punishment. 

2. Reflection on all these characteristics shows that ‘the actions appear different, but they essentially spring out of the same motivation, which is their striving against personal desire. This involves a hard struggle to resist what is prompted by a strong temptation, anger, or greed. This may be very difficult and even acutely painful. When sexual desire or anger is at full play, a person may find it almost impossible not to give way. Yet successful resistance will be rewarded on the Day of Judgement, when the heat is unbearable, and people have no shade to protect them from the closing sun. It is then that these seven types will enjoy the shade given by God, Mighty and Exalted. They will not experience the heat of that day as a reward for withstanding the heat of desire or anger in this present life’.[5]

3. Scholars, educators and advocates of Islam should use numbers to limit the meanings which they want to mention to their audience. When the speaker starts with a number, his audience will be more attentive to learn the items making the number.

4. Whoever is in a powerful position must not feel that his authority allows him to deal unjustly with people. Injustice will cast layers of darkness on the Day of Judgement.

5. A person in high office should be keen to treat people with complete fairness. The first to be enjoying God’s protection from the heat of the sun and punishment in Hell on the Day of Judgement is the just ruler.

6. Young people should realize that they have a great chance to ensure enjoying God’s shade on the Day of Resurrection. They need to do what pleases God and steer away from all sin. 

7. God praises the sleepers in the cave because they were young men who abandoned all the attractions and temptations of this life, seeking a place where they would be devoted to worshipping God alone. He describes them in the following words:

8. In the mosque, a believer is like a fish in water, while a hypocrite is like a bird in a cage.

9. In this life, people are keen to meet their old friends and feel homesick, eager to visit the places where they shared life with dear friends and close relatives. Likewise, believers’ hearts incline towards mosques, because it is in mosques that they met their brethren in faith. No other place on earth is said to belong to God except mosques, which are His houses. Every Muslim will do well to join those who feel mosques are dear to them and whose hearts incline towards them. 

10. To love or hate someone for God’s sake is a quality generated by faith. We should make sure to have this. 

11. The Prophet (peace be upon him) tells us that ‘A man went to visit a brother of his residing in a different village. God sat an angel on his route to watch him. When he passed by, the angel said: “Where are you going?” He said: “I am visiting a brother of mine in this village”. The angel asked him: “Does he owe you a favor and you seek its return?” He said: “No. I only love him for God’s sake”. The angel said: “I have been sent to you by God to tell you that God loves you because you love your brother for His sake”’. [6]

12. Some early scholars said that if one loves a person for God’s sake and that person commits some grave sin, he should dislike that person for God’s sake. Unless he does so, his initial love is not for God’s sake. 

13. A person who refrains from satisfying his desire in a sinful way, hoping to earn God’s pleasure, and fearing His wrath and punishment will be rewarded by a fine abode in Heaven and safety from punishment in Hell.

14. It is far better to keep your ṣadaqah [i.e., voluntary charity] secret. It is sure to earn God’s acceptance. 

15. It is perfectly appropriate to make one’s ṣadaqah public if this will make others follow one’s example. However, that person must make sure that he is giving it only to please God, Blessed and Exalted. If one fears that publicizing it detracts from the sincerity of the action, it is better to keep it secret.  

16. The hadith speaks about God’s remembrance when one is alone. This recommends that a Muslim should devote some of his time, when alone, to express regret for his past sins and turn to God in complete sincerity, appealing to Him to forgive him all past sins. God answers the prayer of a person in distress when he appeals to Him. A Muslim must not devote his privacy to the satisfaction of his desires, like people who are oblivious of the reckoning on the Day of Judgement when they must account for their deeds in front of all mankind. A person who cares about this reckoning needs to weep in plenty when he is alone, feeling that this world is like a prison because of his past sins.

17. Proper private devotion means that a person glorifies and praises God, thinks of His majesty, power, and punishment, and takes issue with himself for falling short of what is due to God. We must keep clear from deviant people who invent unacceptable phrases and supplications and who claim to be given knowledge that is kept away from other people. 

18. Yazid al-Riqashī used to say: ‘How miserable I am. Devout people have gone far ahead, and I am lagging behind. Prophet Noah weeps for his error while Yazid [meaning himself] does not’.[7]