“On the authority of Abu al-Abbaas Abdullah ibn Abbaas (RadhiAllahu Anhuma) who said: One day I was riding behind the Prophet (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) and he said to me,
“O young man, I shall teach you some words [of advice]. Be mindful of Allah and Allah will protect you. Be mindful of Allah and you will find Him in front of you. If you ask, ask Allah. If you seek help, seek help in Allah. Know that if the nation were to gather together to benefit you with something, they would not benefit you except with that which Allah has already recorded for you. If they gather to harm you by something, they would not be able to harm you by anything except what Allah has already recorded against you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried.”
[Recorded in al-Tirmindhi]
“One day I was riding behind the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and he said to me ‘O young man, I shall teach you some words [of advice].”
In other narrations of this hadith, it is stated that the young ibn Abbaas was seated behind the Prophet (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) on his riding camel. This illustrates that this is one of the few hadith that ibn Abbaas narrated directly from the Prophet (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam).
The Prophet (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) called out to ibn Abbaas to get his attention specifically, addressing him as ‘young man’. At the time when this occurred the young ibn Abbaas (RadhiAllahu Anhuma) was just about to enter puberty. This shows us this advice encapsulates the most fundamental aspects of how to practice and implement the religion of Islam in adult life. The Prophet (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) is teaching ibn Abbaas (RadhiAllahu Anhuma) about reliance on Allah amongst other things, which is essential for him to remember as he enters adult life as a Muslim.
This is how every Muslim child should be raised in Islam, being taught the essential aspects before they reach puberty. We truly need to revive this amongst our children today. Many Muslim youth seem to believe they are not responsible for their actions or that they are not adults until the age of 18 or 20. Islam teaches us that from the moment the child reaches puberty, they are considered an adult and are therefore responsible for all their actions. Parents need to realise this and teach their children to take responsibility for their actions.
The beauty of the advice that the Prophet (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) gave ibn Abbaas (RadhiAllahu Anhuma) is that it was concise, and therefore easy to remember, yet it was far-reaching in its scope. It contains infinite wisdom for us all, both young and old, and shows us the important points to remember as we live our lives, moving closer to our return to Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala).
“Be mindful of Allah and Allah will protect you.”
The Prophet (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) has advised the believer to be ‘mindful of Allah’. This implies being mindful of the limits set by Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala), minding His (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) rights and minding what He has ordered and what He (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) has prohibited. In other words, we should implement what Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) has ordered and refrain from what He (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) has forbidden.
One of the most important things that we can be mindful of is the prayer. As Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) says in the Qur’an:
“Guard strictly the [daily] prayers and especially the middle [best] prayer. And stand before Allah with obedience.”
(Surah al-Baqarah:238)
Other verses in the Qur’an talk about the importance of guarding the private parts and being mindful of one’s oaths. They also mention the importance guarding one’s abolution, as protecting one’s state of purity is a sign of true faith. This is because one’s state of purity is something that only Allah is aware of. These are all part of the general characteristic of being mindful, guarding and preserving in relation to Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala), that are refered to in this hadith.
The Prophet (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) went on to say that if we are mindful of Allah, Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) will ‘protect’ us. Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) protects the servant in more than one way. He (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) guards and protects a person’s worldly interests and needs, through protection of their body, wealth and families, and protecting them from evil coming from jinn or mankind. Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) says in the Qur’an:
“And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty)”
(Surah al-Talaaq:2)
More importantly, Allah protects a person by protecting their religion. He (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) protects their religion by keeping them steadfast and away from misconceptions and heresies. He (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) also keeps them in the religion of Islam until their death. This is by far the important type of protection that Allah provides to the believer. The Prophet (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) taught the companions to beseech Allah for this type of protection.
Let’s remember again that beautiful dua of the Prophet (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam):
“Ya muqallib al Quloob, thabbit qalbee alaa deenik”
“O changer of the hearts, make my heart firm upon You religion.”