قَالَHe saidأَيWhichعِبَادِكَof Your servantsأَعْلَمُDo You know?
He said, "Which of Your servants is most knowledgeable?"
قَالَHe saidالَّذِيThe one whoيَطْلُبُseeksعِلْمَknowledgeالنَّاسِof the peopleإِلَىtowardsعِلْمِهِhis knowledgeلِيَجِدَto findكَلِمَةًa wordتُدِلُّهُthat guides himعَلَىtoهُدًىguidanceأَوْorتُرِدَّهُturns him backعَنْfromرَدًىerror.
He said, "The one who seeks knowledge of people towards his knowledge to find a word that guides him to guidance or turns him back from error."
قَالَHe saidأَيWhichعِبَادِكَof Your servantsأَحْكَمُis most just?
He said, "Which of Your servants is most just?"
قَالَHe saidالَّذِيThe one whoيَحْكُمُjudgesعَلَىonنَفْسِهِhimselfكَمَاasيَحْكُمُhe judgesعَلَىonغَيْرِهِothersوَandيَحْكُمُhe judgesلِغَيْرِهِfor othersكَمَاasيَحْكُمُhe judgesلِنَفْسِهِfor himself.
He said, "The one who judges on himself as he judges on others and judges for others as he judges for himself."
فَذَكَرَHe mentionedفِيinهَذَاthisالْحَدِيثِhadithالْحُبِّloveوَandالْعِلْمِknowledgeوَandالْعَدْلِjusticeوَذَٰلِكَand thatجَمَاعٌis the essenceالْخَيْرِof goodness.
He mentioned in this hadith love, knowledge, and justice, and that is the essence of goodness.
وَAndمِمَّاamong whatيَنْبَغِيshouldالتَفَطُّنَbe attentive toلَهُitأَنَّهُis thatلَاit is notيَجُوزُpermissibleأَنْtoيَظُنَّthinkفِيinبَابِthe matterمَحَبَّةِof the loveاللَّهِof Allahتَعَالَىthe Exaltedمَاwhatيَظُنُّone thinksفِيinمَحَبَّةِthe loveغَيْرِهِof others.
And among what should be attended to is that it is not permissible to think in the matter of the love of Allah the Exalted what one thinks in the love of others.
مِمَّاAmong whatهُوَisمِنْofجِنْسِthe kindالتَّجَنِّيof injusticeوَالْهَجْرِand abandonmentوَالْقَطِيعَةِand cutting offلِغَيْرِfor otherسَبَبٍreasonوَandنَحْوَsimilarذَٰلِكَthatمِمَّاis among whatقَدْmayيُغَلِطَbe mistakenفِيهِin itطَوَائِفٌgroupsمِنَofالنَّاسِthe peopleحَتَّىuntilيَتَمَثَّلُونَthey representفِيinحُبِّهِhis loveبِجِنْسِby the kindمَاwhatيَتَمَثَّلُونَthey representبِهِwith itفِيinحُبِّthe loveمِنْofيَصُدُّone who stopsوَandيَقْطَعُcuts offبِغَيْرِwithoutذَنبٍsinأَوْorيَبْعُدُdistanceمِنْfromيَتَقَرَّبُone who draws nearإِلَيْهِto himوَإِنْand ifيُغَلِطَmistakenفِيinذَٰلِكَthatمِنْofغَلَطٍerrorمِنَofالْمُصَنِّفِينَthe authorsفِيinرَسَائِلِهِمtheir letters.
Among what is of the kind of injustice, abandonment, and cutting off for no reason, there may be groups of people who may be mistaken until they represent his love by the same kind that they would represent in the love of one who stops and cuts off without sin, or distance from one who draws near to him. And if one is mistaken in that, it may be from the errors of the authors in their letters.
حَتَّىUntilيَكُونَit becomesمَضْمُونٌthe contentكَلامُهُمْof their speechإِقَامَةَestablishingالْحُجَّةِthe argumentعَلَىagainstاللَّهِAllahبَلْratherلِلَّهِfor Allahالْحُجَّةَthe argumentالْبَالِغَةَthe conclusiveوَقَدْand it has beenثَبَتَestablishedفِيinالصَّحِيحَيْنِthe two authentic booksعَنْfromأَبِيAbuهُرَيْرَةَHurairahعَنْfromالنَّبِيِّthe Prophetصَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ(peace be upon him)أَنَّهُthat he saidيَقُولُsaysاللَّهُAllahتَعَالَىthe Exaltedمَنْwhoeverذَكَرَنِيremembers MeفِيinنَفْسِهِhimselfذَكَرْتُهُI remembered himفِيinنَفْسِيMyselfوَمَنْand whoeverذَكَرَنِيremembers Meفِيinمَلَأٍa gatheringذَكَرْتُهُI remembered himفِيinمَلَأٍa gatheringخَيْرٍbetterمِنْهُthan him.
Until the content of their speech establishes an argument against Allah, but rather for Allah is the conclusive argument. And it has been established in the two authentic books from Abu Hurairah from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he said, "Allah the Exalted says, 'Whoever remembers Me in himself, I remember him in Myself, and whoever remembers Me in a gathering, I remember him in a gathering better than him."
وَAndمَنْwhoeverتَقَرَّبَdraws nearإِلَيَّto Meشِبْرًاa spanتَقَرَّبْتُI draw nearإِلَيْهِto himذِرَاعًاan arm's length.
And whoever draws near to Me a span, I draw near to him an arm's length.
وَAndمَنْwhoeverتَقَرَّبَdraws nearإِلَيَّto Meذِرَاعًاan arm's lengthتَقَرَّبْتُI draw nearإِلَيْهِto himبَاعًاa cubit.
And whoever draws near to Me an arm's length, I draw near to him a cubit.
وَAndمَنْwhoeverأَتَانِيcomes to MeيَمْشِيwalkingأَتَيْتُهُI come to himهَرْوَلَةًrunning.
And whoever comes to Me walking, I come to him running.
وَAndفِيinبَعْضِsomeالْآثَارِnarrationsيَقُولُAllah saysتَعَالَىthe Exaltedأَهْلُthe peopleذِكْرِيof My remembranceأَهْلٌare the peopleمُجَالَسَتِيof My companyوَأَهْلُand the peopleشُكْرِيof My gratitudeأَهْلٌare the peopleزِيَارَتِيof My visitationوَأَهْلُand the peopleطَاعَتِيof My obedienceأَهْلٌare the peopleكَرَامَتِيof My honor.
And in some narrations, Allah the Exalted says, "The people of My remembrance are the people of My company, and the people of My gratitude are the people of My visitation, and the people of My obedience are the people of My honor."
وَأَهْلُAnd the peopleمَعْصِيَتِيof My disobedienceأُيَأِسُهُمْI despair themمِنْfromرَحْمَتِيMy mercyإِنْIfتَابُواthey repentفَأَنَاthen I amحَبِيبُهُمْtheir beloved.
And the people of My disobedience, I despair them of My mercy; if they repent, then I am their beloved.
لِأَنَّBecauseاللَّهَAllahيُحِبُّlovesالتَّوَّابِينَthose who repent.
Because Allah loves those who repent.
وَإِنْAnd ifلَمْthey do notيَتُوبُواrepentفَأَنَاthen I amطَبِيبُهُمْtheir physician.أُبَلِيَـهِمI afflict themبِالْمَصَائِبِwith calamitiesحَتَّىuntilأُطَهِّرَهُمْI purify themمِنْfromالْمَـعَائِبِdefects.
And if they do not repent, then I am their physician. I afflict them with calamities until I purify them of defects.
وَقَالَAnd Allah saidتَعَالَىthe ExaltedوَمَنْAnd whoeverيَعْمَلُworksمِنَfromالصَّالِحَاتِthe righteous deedsوَهُوَand he isمُؤْمِنٌa believerفَلَاthen notيَخَافُhe should fearظُلْمًاinjusticeوَلَاand notهَضْمًاshortcoming.
And Allah, the Exalted, said, "And whoever works from the righteous deeds while he is a believer, then he does not fear injustice nor shortcoming."
قِيلَIt was saidالظُّلْمُinjusticeأَنْis thatيُحْمَلَhe is chargedعَلَيْهِto himسَيِّئَاتُevil deedsغَيْرِهِof others.
It was said that injustice is for him to be charged with the evil deeds of others.
وَالْهَضْمُAnd shortcomingأَنْis thatيَنْقُصَit reducesمِنْfromحَسَنَاتِthe good deedsنَفْسِهِof himself.
And shortcoming is to reduce the good deeds of oneself.
وَقَالَAnd Allah saidتَعَالَىthe ExaltedوَمَاAnd We did notظَلَمْنَاهُمْinjustice to themوَلَكِنbutكَانُواthey wereأَنفُسَهُمْthemselvesيَظْلِمُونَthey wronged.
And Allah, the Exalted, said, "And We did not do injustice to them, but they wronged themselves."
وَفِيAnd inالْحَدِيثِthe hadithالصَّحِيحِthe authenticعَنْfromأَبِيAbuذَرٍّDharrرَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُmay Allah be pleased with himقَالَsaidيَقُولُAllah saysتَعَالَىthe ExaltedيَاOعِبَادِيMy servantsإِنِّيIndeed, Iحَرَّمْتُhave forbiddenالظُّلْمَinjusticeعَلَىagainstنَفْسِيMyselfوَجَعَلْتُهُand made itبَيْنَكُمْbetween youمُحَرَّمًاforbiddenفَلَاso do notتَظَالَمُواbe unjust to one another.
And in the authentic hadith from Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Allah the Exalted says, 'O My servants, indeed I have forbidden injustice to Myself and made it forbidden between you, so do not be unjust to one another.'"
يَاOعِبَادِيMy servantsكُلُّكُمْall of youضَالٌّare misguidedإِلَّاexceptمَنْfor whomهَدَيْتُهُI have guided.
"O My servants, all of you are misguided except for whom I have guided."
فَاسْتَهْدُونِيSo seek guidance from MeأَهْدِكُمْI will guide you.
"So seek guidance from Me, I will guide you."
يَاOعِبَادِيMy servantsكُلُّكُمْall of youجَائِعٌare hungryإِلَّاexceptمَنْfor whomأَطْعَمْتُهُI have fed.
"O My servants, all of you are hungry except for whom I have fed."
فَاسْتَطْعِمُونِيSo ask Me for foodأَطْعَمْكُمI will feed you.
"So ask Me for food, I will feed you."
يَاOعِبَادِيMy servantsكُلُّكُمْall of youعَارٌare nakedإِلَّاexceptمَنْfor whomكَسَوْتُهُI have clothed.
"O My servants, all of you are naked except for whom I have clothed."
فَاسْتَكْسُونِيSo ask Me for clothingأَكْسُكُمْI will clothe you.
"So ask Me for clothing, I will clothe you."
يَاOعِبَادِيMy servantsإِنَّكُمْIndeed, youتَذْنِبُونَcommit sinsبِاللَّيْلِby nightوَالنَّهَارِand by dayوَأَنَاand Iأَغْفِرُforgiveالذُّنُوبَthe sins.
"O My servants, you indeed commit sins by night and day, and I forgive the sins."
وَلَاand do notأُبَالِيmindفَاسْتَغْفِرُونِيso ask Me for forgivenessأَغْفِرُI shall forgiveلَكُمْfor you.
"And I do not mind, so ask Me for forgiveness, I shall forgive you."
يَاOعِبَادِيMy servantsإِنَّكُمْIndeed, youلَمْhave notتَبْلُغُواreachضُرِّيMy harmفَتَضُرُّونِيto hurt Meوَلَنْand you will notتَبْلُغُواreachنَفْعِيMy benefitفَتَنْفَعُونِيto benefit Me.
"O My servants, indeed you have not reached My harm to hurt Me, nor will you reach My benefit to benefit Me."
يَاOعِبَادِيMy servantsلَوْIfأَنَّthatأَوَّلَكُمْyour first onesوَآخِرَكُمْand your last onesوَإِنْسَكُمْand your humansوَجِنَّكُمْand your jinnكَانُواwereعَلَىonأَتْقَىthe most piousقَلْبِheartرَجُلٍof a manمِنْكُمْfrom youمَاnotزَادَwould increaseذَلِكَthatفِيinمُلْكِيMy kingdomشَيْئًاanything.
"O My servants, if your first ones and your last ones, and your humans and your jinn were upon the most pious heart of a man among you, that would not increase anything in My kingdom."
يَاOعِبَادِيMy servantsلَوْIfأَنَّthatأَوَّلَكُمْyour first onesوَآخِرَكُمْand your last onesوَإِنْسَكُمْand your humansوَجِنَّكُمْand your jinnكَانُواwereعَلَىonأَفْجَرَthe most sinfulقَلْبِheartرَجُلٍof a manمِنْكُمْamong youمَاnotنَقَصَwould decreaseذَلِكَthatفِيinمُلْكِيMy kingdomشَيْئًاanything.
"O My servants, if your first ones and your last ones, and your humans and your jinn were upon the most sinful heart of a man among you, that would not decrease anything in My kingdom."
يَاOعِبَادِيMy servantsلَوْIfأَنَّthatأَوَّلَكُمْyour first onesوَآخِرَكُمْand your last onesوَإِنْسَكُمْand your humansوَجِنَّكُمْand your jinnاجْتَمَعُواgatheredفِيinصَعِيدٍa placeوَاحِدٍone.
"O My servants, if your first ones and your last ones, and your humans and your jinn gathered in one place.