باب استحباب العزلة عند فساد الناس والزمان أو الخوف من فتنة فى الدين ووقوع فى حرام وشبهات ونحوها
This chapter weighs the value of stepping back from people when corruption spreads, so a believer can protect his faith. The recurring picture is of someone who withdraws with his flock to a mountainside or quiet valley, keeps up his prayer and worship, and guards his religion from the trials around him. The Arabic ideal praised here is the slave of Allah who is taqi, content and free of want, and khafi, unnoticed and unconcerned with fame.
Notice that this is not a call to abandon active good. The Prophet first names the one striving with life and wealth in Allah's cause as among the best of people, then places the quiet worshipper beside him as a second kind of best. Seclusion is praised specifically as a refuge from fitnah and from harming others, not as escape from responsibility, and the mention that every prophet tended sheep gently dignifies a humble, withdrawn life.
Hadith 596
Sa'd bin Abu Waqqas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن سعد بن أبي وقاص رضي الله عنه قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: يقول: “إن الله يحب العبد التقي الغني الخفي” ((رواه مسلم)). والمراد: بـ “الغني” غني النفس، كما سبق فى الحديث الصحيح.
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Allah loves a slave who is pious, free of all wants and the unnoticed." [Muslim].
In plain words
Allah loves the servant who is mindful of Him, content and free of need, and content to remain unnoticed rather than seeking fame.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 596 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 596
Hadith 597
Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبي سعيد الخدرى رضي الله عنه قال: قال رجل: أى الناس أفضل يا رسول الله؟ قال: "مؤمن مجاهد بنفسه وماله فى سبيل الله" قال: ثم من؟ قال: " رجل معتزل فى شعب من الشعاب يعبد ربه" وفى رواية: "يتقي الله، ويدع الناس من شره" ((متفق عليه)).
Someone asked Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): "Who is the best man?" He (ﷺ) answered, "A believer who strives in the Cause of Allah with his life and his wealth." The man asked: "Who is the next?" He said, "One who retires into a narrow valley and worships his Rubb." Another narration is: Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "One who fears Allah and safeguards people against his own mischief." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
Asked who is best, the Prophet named the believer who strives for Allah with life and wealth, then the one who withdraws to worship Allah and keeps others safe from any harm.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 597 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 597
Hadith 598
Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "يوشك أن يكون خير مال المسلم غنم يتتبع بها شعف الجبال، ومواقع القطر، يفر بدينه من الفتن" ((رواه البخاري)). وشعف الجبال :أعلاها
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The best possession of a Muslim will be a herd of sheep with which he retires to the top of a mountain or places where rain is expected to fall (pastures) so as to safeguard with his faith from tribulation." [Al- Bukhari].
In plain words
In times of trial, a Muslim's best possession may be simple livestock taken to a remote place, so that withdrawing helps protect their faith from corruption around them.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 598 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 598
Hadith 599
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "ما بعث الله نبياً إلا رعى الغنم” فقال أصحابه: أنت؟ قال: كنت أرعاها على قراريط لأهل مكة”. ((رواه البخاري)).
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Every Prophet has tended sheep". He was asked: "And did you?" He replied, "Yes, I tended them for a few carats for the Makkans." [Al-Bukhari].
In plain words
Every prophet has herded sheep, and the Prophet too did this humble work, dignifying simple, modest labour.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 599 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 599
Hadith 600
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعنه عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال: “من خير معاش الناس رجل ممسك عنان فرسه فى سبيل الله، يطير على متنه، كلما سمع هيعه أو فزعة، طار عليه يبتغى القتل، أو الموت مظانه، أو رجل فى غنيمة فى رأس شعفة من هذه الشعف، أو بطن واد من هذه الأودية يقيم الصلاة، ويؤتى الزكاة، ويعبد ربه حتى يأتيه اليقين، ليس من الناس إلا فى خير” ((رواه مسلم)).
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The best of people is a man who is holding his horse's rein in the way of Allah (in Jihad) and is galloping towards the place wherever he hears a call for war or detects a note of danger; he goes on proceeding, seeking martyrdom or death wherever it is expected. And a man who retires with some sheep in a mountainside or a valley. He performs Salat regularly and pays the Zakat, continues worshipping his Rubb, till death overtakes him. He does not interfere in the affairs of the people except for betterment." [Muslim].
In plain words
The Prophet praised two kinds of best people: the one who races toward danger striving in Allah's cause, and the quiet worshipper who keeps up prayer and charity in seclusion and only ever involves himself in people's affairs for good.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 600 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 600