Understanding Zuhd: Commentary on the 31st Hadith of Al-Nawawi

He (RH) said:

The thirty-first Hadith:

On the authority of Abu al-Abbas Sahl bin Sa'd al-Sa'idi (RA),

that he said: A man came to the Prophet ﷺ

and said, "O Messenger of Allah,

direct me to a deed which, if I do it, Allah will love me and people will love me."

He ﷺ said, "Renounce the world and Allah will love you,

Renounce the world and Allah will love you,

and renounce what people possess and the people will love you."

A Hasan Hadith, related by Ibn Majah and others with a good chain.

Yes, this Hadith is about Zuhd, and it is the foundation of Zuhd.

Zuhd is not merely about abundant worship.

It was narrated from Ibn Mas'ud, Abdullah bin Mas'ud (RA),

that he came to his companions

and said, "Today you pray and fast more than the companions of the Prophet ﷺ"

yet they were better than you."

They asked, "Why is that, O Abu Abdur-Rahman?"

He replied, "Because they were more detached from this world than you,

and more desirous of the Hereafter."

For Zuhd is not merely outward deeds; rather, it is an action of the heart.

Thus, caring for the actions of the heart is of utmost importance.

Many scholars have mentioned

that those who focus on books of fiqh and usul

might become preoccupied with outward deeds, neglecting the states of the heart,

and nothing returns them to the actions of the heart except the Quran.

Thus, reciting the Quran abundantly and reflecting on its meanings,

and studying the lives of the early Companions (RA),

and foremost, the biography of the Prophet ﷺ and studying it,

is what softens the heart and fosters Zuhd in this world.

This Hadith clarifies that Zuhd is of two types: Zuhd in this world,

and Zuhd from what people possess.

As for zuhd in this world, whoever practices it, Allah ﷻ will love him.

Zuhd in this world means the heart is not attached to the world,

but rather attaches itself to Allah ﷻ.

A person may have his hands full of worldly possessions,

as with some Companions like Uthman and Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf (RA) and others.

And among the later scholars, Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak, mentioned earlier.

Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak was among the most ascetic people of his era, and he authored a large book, printed long ago, called Kitab al-Zuhd.

The jurist-scholars admired the zuhd of Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak among the later scholars, because wealth was in his hands, yet he practiced zuhd.

This zuhd —

His detachment from wealth is shown by giving charity whenever the occasion arose, without withholding.

This is zuhd: it is not in not earning wealth, but in spending it,

and in the ease of giving it away.

The second type of zuhd is abstaining from what people possess.

Whoever abstains from what people possess, people will love him.

Abstaining from what people possess means, first, to not envy their wealth.

So if someone possesses wealth or any of the worldly goods...

“And do not extend your eyes toward that by which We have given enjoyment to [some] categories of them, [its being but] the splendor of worldly life by which We test them. And the provision of your Lord is better and more enduring.” (Quran 20:131)

Being indifferent to it leads to indifference toward what others possess.

The second matter is indifference to what people compete for in terms of honor and authority.

Whoever is indifferent to authority and honor, through which people seek prestige, such as being an eloquent speaker...

...since it is prestigious to be a speaker around whom people gather and crowd,

and who are listened to attentively when they speak.

Whoever is indifferent to that will be loved by people.

But some may be tested with it. Imam Ahmad said, "I am a man who was tested with that."

But if you are tested, then this is a matter that, as mentioned in the Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ,

...came to you without you asking or aspiring for it.

Whoever does these two things, Allah ﷻ will love him, and people will love him for that.

Yes.

Peace be upon you.