An Admonition by Hadhrat Abdullah bin Abbas
Wahab bin Munabbah says: "Abdullah bin Abbaslost his eyesight in his old age. I once led him to the Haram in Makkah, where he heard a group of people exchanging hot words among themselves. He asked me to lead him to them. He greeted them with 'Assalamu Alaikum.' They requested him to sit down, but he refused and said: 'May I tell you about people whom Allahholds in high esteem? These are those whom His fear has driven to absolute silence, even though they are neither helpless nor dumb. Rather they are possessors of eloquent speech and have power to speak and sense to understand. But constant glorification of Allah'sname has so over-powered their wits that their hearts are overawed and their lips sealed.
When they get established in this state, they hasten towards righteousness. Where have you people deviated from this course? After this reprimand, I never saw an assembly of even two persons in the Haram." It is said that Hadhrat Ibne Abbasused to weep so much with Allah's fear that the tears streaming down his cheeks had left permanent marks on them.
In this story, Hadhrat Abdullah bin Abbas has prescribed a very easy way to righteousness. This is to meditate over the greatness of Allah (. If this is done, it becomes very easy to perform all other acts of righteousness with full sincerity. Is it so very difficult to devote a few minutes, out of the twenty
four hours of a day at one's disposal, to spiritual meditation?
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| This masjid (mosque) in Taif houses the tomb of Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), the paternal cousin of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). He is revered by Muslims for his knowledge and was an expert in Tafsir (exegesis of the Quran), as well as an authority on the Islamic Sunnah (the practice of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). |
- Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was the son of Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), the paternal uncle of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). His mother was Umm al-Fadl, the sister of Maymoonah (may Allah be pleased with her) [one of the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him)]. He was born around three years before the Hijrah. When he was born his mother took him to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) before he had begun to suckle. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) put some of his saliva on the newborn’s tongue, and that was the beginning of the close relationship between the two.
- While growing up, he was by the Prophet’s (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) side doing different services like fetching water for ablution. He would pray with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and join his assemblies, journeys and expeditions. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) would draw him close, pat him on the shoulder and pray, “O Lord, make him acquire a deep understanding of the religion of Islam, and instruct him in the meaning and interpretation of matters.” Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated, “The Messenger of Allah wiped my chest and said ‘O Lord, grant him wisdom.’” Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) devoted his life to the pursuit of learning and knowledge, following the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and memorizing his teachings.
- Sa`ad ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “I have never seen someone who was quicker in understanding, who had more knowledge and greater wisdom than Ibn Abbas. I have seen Umar summon him to discuss difficult problems in the presence of veterans of Badr from among the Muhajireen and Ansar. Ibn Abbas would speak and Umar would not disregard what he had to say.”
- Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) says, “After the passing away of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), I said to an Ansari friend of mine. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) is not now with us. But a large number of Sahabah (companions of the Prophet) are still among us. Let us go to them and get knowledge of the Islamic practices”. He said. ‘Who is going to approach you for learning a regulation in the presence of these eminent Sahabah?’ I was not discouraged. I kept up my quest for knowledge and approached every person who was supposed to have heard something from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). I managed to gather substantial information from the Ansar. If on my visit to someone of the Sahabah, I found him asleep, I spread my shawl at the gate and sat waiting. Sometimes my face and body would get covered with dust, but I kept sitting till they woke and I was able to contact them. Some of them said: ‘Abdullah, you are the cousin of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him); you could have sent for us. Why did you take the trouble of coming to our places?’ I said to them: ‘I must come to you, for I am a student and you are my teachers.’ Some peoplefor whom I had waited said: ‘Since when have you been waiting for us?’ I informed them that I had been sitting there for a pretty long time. They said: ‘What a pity! You could have awakened us from our sleep.’ I said, “I did not like to disturb you for my own sake.’ I thus carried on my pursuits, till there came a time when people began to flock to me for learning. My Ansari friend realised this at that time and remarked. ‘This boy has surely proved himself more sensible than us.”
- Wahab bin Munabbah says, “Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) lost his eyesight in his old age. I once led him to the Haram in Makkah, where he heard a group of people exchanging hot words among themselves. He asked me to lead him to them. He greeted them with ‘Assalamu Alaikum.’ They requested him to sit down, but he refused and said: ‘May I tell you about people whom Allah holds in high esteem? These are those whom His fear has driven to absolute silence, even though they are neither helpless nor dumb. Rather they are possessors of eloquence and have power to speak and sense to understand. But constant glorification of Allah’s name has so over-powered their wits that their hearts are overawed and their lips sealed. When they get established in this state, they hasten towards righteousness. Whither have you people deviated from this course? After this admonition, I never saw an assembly of even two persons in the Haram.”
- It was the devotion to knowledge, which caused Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) to be known as ’Hibr-ul–Ummat’ (the most learned man of Islam) and ‘Bahrul Ulum’ (ocean of knowledge) in his time. He narrated 1660 hadith and is generally viewed as the most knowledgable of the Companions in Tafsir. He died in 68 AH in Taif and is buried in the masjid shown above. Muhammad bin Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) led the funeral service and remarked, “Today we have lost our godly leader.”
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| The Great Musaffir |
References: Fazail-e-Aamal – Sheik Zakariyya Kandhalvi, Journey to the Sacred – Sheik Hamza Yusuf, Wikipedia
