The hadith (saying of the Prophet)
of the seven who are in Allah’s shade, subhanahu wa ta’ala (exalted is He), on
the Day of Judgment gives us guidance as to important milestones and markers
for our spiritual development. These are goals that should be sought in one’s
development.
The Prophet ﷺ said: There are seven
whom Allah will shade in His Shade on the
Day when there is no shade except His Shade: a just ruler; a youth who grew up
in the worship of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic; a man whose heart is attached
to the mosques; two men who love each other for Allah’s sake, meeting for that
and parting upon that; a man who is called by a woman of beauty and position
[for illegal intercourse], but he says: ‘I fear Allah’, a man who gives in
charity and hides it, such that his left hand does not know what his right hand
gives in charity; and a man who remembered Allah in private and so his eyes
shed tears.
So there are seven things mentioned
in this hadith:
1. A just ruler.
2. A youth who grows up in the
worship of Allah.
3. A man whose heart is attached to
the mosques.
4. Two people who love one another
for the sake of Allah.
5. Someone who resists a direct
temptation from the opposite gender.
6. A person who is completely
selfless in charity.
7. A person who remembers Allah in
private and sheds tears in doing so.
The seven things mentioned all
relate to serious developmental goals that should be sought throughout our own
personal development and our efforts to help other people in their own growth.
The first is to develop a level of
Allah-consciousness (taqwa) in the way that one deals with power. Being in a
position of authority in Islam is a responsibility that one is held accountable
for and it is very serious. Part of that is that our base selves often push us
to take advantage of our positions of authority and abuse our power at the
expense of others. This is a serious developmental flaw because it shows
irresponsibility and a lack of taqwa. We all have varying situations throughout
our lives wherein we are in a position of authority and when we have such power
we have to look critically at ourselves and hope that Allah gives us good
friends who help keep us in line. The developmental lesson here is in learning to
act responsibly with power.
The second is a special kind of
person that you meet every now and then. They are just good and always have
been. These people are truly special because their consistency in worship draws
them close to the fitrah , or natural state of being. You can feel their goodness
in their interactions and see their genuineness in the details of their
behavior. Most of us were not raised this way but that does not mean that we
cannot renew our commitment to Allah (swt). That is something that we can do it
any time by asking His forgiveness and starting fresh. This developmental point
is about being consistent in our servitude to Allah (swt).
The third is the one whose heart is
attached to the houses of worship. These are the people you meet who organize
their lives around prayer. They make every effort to be at the mosque for
prayer as much as possible and find beauty and pleasure in doing so. They
recognize the peace and tranquility that comes from spending time in the
mosque, and they call others to do so as well. This developmental point is
about learning to love worship.
The fourth is two people that love
each other for the sake of Allah (swt). There are many reasons why we could
care for someone in this life. Sometimes those reasons are selfish and
sometimes they are selfless. The one who loves solely for Allah’s sake (swt) is
selfless in their love. This is a kind of training of the heart that all
seekers of the Divine must experience. They must learn to purify their
relationships with others and focus them on the ultimate goal, the pleasure of Allah
(swt). This developmental point is essentially learning how to love properly
and for the right reasons.
The fifth is someone who is called
to fulfill their sexual desires in an unlawful way and resists. This is mentioned
as a major trial that can afflict a person and as such the reward for passing
it is Paradise. The person who is able to resist such a temptation is someone
who has a strong control over their self and a clear awareness of Allah (swt).
The developmental lesson is in learning to resist immediate temptations in favor
of a greater reward with Allah (swt).
The sixth is someone who is so
charitable that they lose track of their charity. The expression here is that their
right hand spends so freely that their left hand does not even notice it. This
habit is not about simply giving when it is convenient or only on certain
things and not others. This is a habit that becomes so much a part of the
person’s being that it reaches all causes of goodness. The developmental lesson
is in making charity a way of life.
The seventh, and final, is the one
who remembers Allah (swt) in private and tears up. This last one is very intimate.
Many people are able to maintain a stable Islamic personality in public, but
when they are left alone by themselves they start to slip. Their identity and
worship are public affairs but have not reached the inner depths of the self
where true spirituality lies. The one who remembers Allah (swt) when alone and
cries is the one who has cultivated a truly special and unique relationship
with their Creator; an intimate relationship that cannot be explained by words
and is only obtained through long periods of struggling for His sake. The developmental
goal is to become intimate with Allah (swt) and move past the superficiality of
common religious discourse.
Original source: http://www.suhaibwebb.com/personaldvlpt/character/the-seven-under-allahs-shade/
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