Leaving with Grace

Leaving with Grace

1994 10 October 8 Leaving with Grace (226) According to Abu Sa’eed Khudri (as recorded in the books of hadith), Abu Musa Ash‘ari once came to meet ‘Umar Farooq at his home during the latter’s caliphate. Standing outside the gate, he called out: ‘Assalam-u-‘Alaikum, this is Abu Musa Ash‘ari.’ Getting no response, he repeated the greeting three times, but still no one came out, so he left.

‘Umar Farooq was perhaps busy at that moment and could not, therefore, answer his call. Later on when he learnt of Abu Musa Ash‘ari’s departure, he called him and asked him why he had gone away. Abu Musa said he had heard the Prophet say that ‘whenever one of you has asked permission thrice to enter anyone’s house and still fails to receive permission, he should better leave.’

At this ‘Umar Farooq asked him to bring witnesses to testify to this hadith’s authenticity. Abu Musa Ash‘ari asked Abu Sa‘eed Al-Khudri about it. The latter replied that this hadith was known not only to himself but to many others besides, so the two immediately set off to reassure ‘Umar on this point.

We learn from this tradition that if anyone intending to visit another is not admitted, he should not feel hurt by this. Taken in the true Islamic spirit, it should simply be attributed to some justifiable cause, and the visitor should depart without harbouring any rancour.

To live, one must come to terms with dying

1994 10 October 8 To live, one must come to terms with dying (35) Abu Bakr, the first Caliph of Islam, once offered this piece of advice to a Muslim commander, by the name of Khalid ibn Walid:

“Khalid, be desirous of death. That way, you will find life.”