- Salam. Another point to reflect over from Imam al-Dhahabi’s book ‘Siyar al-Ialam al-Nubala’. (Please note that he was a student of Ibn Taymiyyah)
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In the biographical entry of Ubaidah bin Amr (Allah have mercy on him) he said:
In the biographical entry of Ubaidah bin Amr (Allah have mercy on him) he said:
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Muhammad said: I said to Ubaidah: We have a hair of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless Him and give Him peace) from Anas bin Malik. He replied: Would it that I have a hair of His is more beloved to me than all of the gold and silver on the face of the earth.
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Imam al-Dhahabi commented:
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This statement of Ubaidah is a criteria of complete love, which is to prefer a hair of the Prophet over all of the gold and silver that people possess. This is what this Imam who came 50 years after the Prophet (Allah bless Him and give Him peace) said, but what would we say in our time if we found some of His hair with an established chain (of authenticity), or a strap of a sandle of his, or nail clipping or fragments of a container He drunk from?
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For if a wealthy person spent most of his fortune in obtaining one of these for himself, would you regard him as squandering (his wealth) or foolish? Never!
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So spend your wealth to visit His masjid which he built with His hand, and greet Him at His chamber in His city. Take pleasure in looking to His ‘Uhud’ and love it, for most certainly your Prophet (Allah bless Him and give Him peace) loved it.
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Enjoy staying in His garden (Rawdah) and sitting place, for you will not be a believer until this Master (sayyid) is more beloved to you than your self, children, wealth and all of the people.
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Enjoy staying in His garden (Rawdah) and sitting place, for you will not be a believer until this Master (sayyid) is more beloved to you than your self, children, wealth and all of the people.
Kiss the noble stone which descended from paradise, and place your mouth kissing the place kissed by the master of mankind with certainty. May Allah bless you with what you have been given, for there is no greater boast than this.
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If we were to obtain the staff with which the Messenger (Allah bless Him and give Him peace) pointed towards the (black) stone, then kissed his staff, it is deserving that we vie with one another to kiss and honour this staff. Whilst we know by necessity that that the kissing of the (black) stone is greater and more virtuous than kissing His staff and sandal.
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For Thabit al-Banani if he would see Anas would take his hand and kiss it saying: A hand which touched the hand of the Messnger of Allah (Allah bless Him and give Him peace). We say when we have missed such (an opportunity), whilst kissing it: An honoured stone, at the rank of Allahs right hand on the earth, which has been touched by the lips of our Prophet (Allah bless Him and give Him peace).
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For if you have missed the opportunity for Hajj and meet a group (of pilgims) embrace the pilgrim and kiss his lips and say: a mouth which has touched by kissing a stone kissed by my friend (khalil) Allah bless Him and give Him peace.